


𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝒀 𝑴𝑬 ♡ (PART 1)

by gowhyejuu



Series: STAND BY ME (LOONA) [1]
Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Anxiety, Cuddling & Snuggling, Depression, Dimension Travel, Domestic Fluff, Dragon Hybrids, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Female Characters, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Girls Kissing, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrids, Light Angst, Magic, Magical Girls, Marriage, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Soulmates, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 215,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23057230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gowhyejuu/pseuds/gowhyejuu
Summary: • the story of twelve girls from different worlds brought together and synced as one •will you stand by me?through love and heartbreak?through pain and healing?through today and tomorrow?through all of our flaws?do the same to me, as I would do onto youand𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝒀 𝑴𝑬UPDATE: FINAL CHAPTER OF PART 1 + PART 2 SNEAK PEEK posted!Updates will be every Wednesday and Sunday!
Relationships: Choi Yerim | Choerry/Im Yeojin, Ha Sooyoung | Yves/Kim Jiwoo | Chuu, Jeon Heejin/Kim Hyunjin, Jo Haseul/Viian Wong | ViVi, Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul/Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip, Park Chaewon | Go Won/Son Hyejoo | Olivia Hye
Series: STAND BY ME (LOONA) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1661191
Comments: 86
Kudos: 178





	1. 𝒊 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Author's Note:**

> hello, fellow reader! the wait is finally over and the first chapter is here! keep in mind that this is the first fanfic i've ever written, so excuse any mistakes made or lack of experience. i've been working on this for months, so i hope this first chapter is well received! so without further ado, please enjoy this chapter!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> • even when we first meet, I know we have something special.
> 
> how do I know?
> 
> because 𝒊 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖. •

*People were born to depend on each other. As much as we try to disagree, we all need someone to lean on. Even when we were first born, we depended on our mother for our basic needs. We were so defenseless and needed someone to defend for us. As we grow and become more aware, more people come along that we can defend for. Some people are lost and trying to find their way home. Some people are going down a path that think leads to home, but are going the opposite direction. Some people on that path are stuck in a fork in the road, not sure which way to turn. And some make it home, but does not feel truly safe there. It is our obligation to help these people. To guide the lost. To lead the stray. To reassure the confused. And to protect the broken. And as the cycle continues, someone will do the same onto you. Someone will be there to guide, to lead, to reassure, and to protect for you. And sometimes, there is someone whose cycle lines up with yours perfectly. You guys are almost one in the same, with your thoughts being linked and emotions understood. When you connect, everything becomes clear. You touch, and you feel like a part of you is being switched on. You two will help each other. Your love will be mutual and intentions pure. How will you find them? It's hard to say. You will know when the time comes. But your mind must be set beforehand. You must be open and willing to change. So let me know, 

will you stand by me?  
through love and heartbreak?  
through pain and healing?  
through today and tomorrow?  
through all of our flaws?  
do the same to me, as I would do onto you  
and  
𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝒀 𝑴𝑬*

***

"And that is where we are at right now."

Everyone in the room let out a frustrated sigh. Hyejoo paced back and forth from each side of the room, looking more annoyed by the second.

"It can't be." Hyejoo said, shaking her head in disbelief. "It just can't."

"But it is." Jinsoul sighed out, setting the papers she had in her hands down on the table. "There's been nothing coming out about it. I think we're possibly looking at a dead end."

"No leads? Witnesses?"

Jinsoul shook her head. "Nothing. Not even one shred of evidence. We tried contacting any hybrids that lived near that area but they have not seen anything."

"Maybe they moved to another area?" Jungeun chimed in. "Earth is pretty huge, I'm sure they could relocate anywhere."

"But why would they leave Seoul, where there are so many secrets to be uncovered. They are home to most of the ancestors from the war and they control the dimensional rifts. They are that stupid." Hyejoo protested, still pacing all over the room.

"Yeah, Hyejoo's right. There would be no reason for them to leave. They probably just got smarter. Which, is to our misfortune."

Hyejoo clenched her hands in a fist and slammed them on the table, startling everyone who sat there.

"This is unfair! We were so close to finding them!"

"Exactly!" Heejin exclaimed. "But it feels like there's always something trying to get in the way."

Hyejoo let out a loud groan and threw her head back in frustration. It had been years since all four of them have been following this case. It all started with news that hybrids started migrating more to the earth as transportation between the worlds became more lax and accessable. But that led to some problems. While most dragons just move to earth for a better life, there are those select few who use this opportunity as way of messing with humans. It is no secret that there are still a lot of dragons who despise humans for what they did to dragonkind. After enslaving them for so long, then creating a war to then just banishing them off to different dimensions. There were centuries of anger and resentment boiling up in many. So when giving the chance to go to the human dimension, there are those who want to make their lives miserable. There are secretive gangs being formed, spies and plenty of underground organizations that want nothing more than revenge. It used to be easy to keep track of, but now dragons were getting more intelligent with how they did certain things. Murder and kidnappings have been on the rise, as well as dragons were their way of the ladder until they can get to every ancestor of those who harmed their own. It is like battle corruption with more corruption. It was only going to lead to nothing but trouble.

"Ya! Hyejoo!"

While Hyejoo was deep in her thoughts, the part of table that her hands were clenched on caught on fire, burning the wood in that area. Her eyes widened and she jerked her hands away. Luckily, Jinsoul just simply used her magic to levitate part of the water in the vase at the center of table, and sprayed it over the fire, quickly putting it out.

"Well," Jungeun sighed, but smiled sympatheticly. "I'll just have to make a new one!"

Hyejoo nervously chuckled. "Sorry..."

"You're okay, sweetheart. This one was getting old anyways!"

"Anyway," Jinsoul cleared her throat. "What are we going to do now?"

They all say there quietly, contemplating their next move. Heejin was the first to speak up.

"Well..." Everyone faced her. "If Sooyoung would talk to us then..."

"IF she would. But she's too caught up right now."

Hyejoo tensed up. Sooyoung was one of their closest friends, but they have not been contact for months. All they knew was that she was somewhere in the the human realm, possibly in Seoul. Out of all of the four, Hyejoo missed her the most.

"Well, if we went to earth, we could find her..." Heejin suggested, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

"We are not doing that. We cannot forge a battle in the human dimension. It will cause too much attention."

"Oh, come on!" the wind dragon complained, rolling her eyes. "We need to go now! We can't just sit back and watch hybrids harm the humans when we could go help them!"

"The four of us can't just save a nation. We wouldn't even know where to start."

"Well, we'll have to figure it out soon! The realm leaders are so blind to this! We're the only ones who give an actual fuck about this!"

"On our side."

Everyone turned their attention back to Hyejoo, whose face seem to light up with an idea.

"What do you-"

"We only discuss this with dragons. But what if there are humans who could help us?"

Jinsoul sighed. "Hyejoo-"

"No, we have to try! There has to be some human who can help us!"

"But-"

"Actually, she has a point." Jungeun agreed, "It is possible. Humans are very vigilant. If we can get a few on our side, we could go behind the scenes and get to the bottom of this. They know their world more than we do."

The eldest thought for a moment, going through all the options in her head. On one hand, they were going into the lion's den with this. But, on the other hand, what other chance do they have?

With another sigh, she gave in. "Fine."

Hyejoo gazed at her in disbelief.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Jinsoul got up out of her chair. "What other choice do we got? We have to make human allies and investigate. We cannot sit on this any longer."

"Thank you, babe!" Jungeun got up and gave Jinsoul a light kiss on the cheek teasingly. "You're such a sweetheart!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Jinsoul looked annoyed but slightly blushed. "We are only there for investigate! Nothing more!"

"Fine by me!" Heejin exclaimed. "As long as we finally get some info!"

All them relished in the new plans. Finally, there was a chance for them to get behind this. But now, they had one problem...

"So, how do we know who to trust?" Jungeun asked. "Because, I don't think we can just go up to some random human and just say: "Hey, we are four dragon hybrids and we need help finding more hybrids trying to conquer your home. Please help us."."

They all quietly thought for a moment before an annoyed groaned ripped from Heejin.

"I think I know someone..."

"Really?" Hyejoo piped up. The wind hybrid looked groaned again, clearly frustrated by something.

"Yeah."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"For me, it is."

Everyone else looked at each other in confusion.

°°°

"So you're back again huh?"

Heejin rolled her eyes.

"Not by choice."

The four hybrids walked into the house of the human girl. They looked around in awe as they saw all of the book shelves filled with hundreds of books. The house was small but cozy and all of the furniture looked very traditional, just like Jungeun's and Heejin's homes, but with a few modern touches such as the flooring. The home owner led all of them to the living room, signaling them to have a seat on the couches.

"Please sit down. Do you guys want anything to drink?"

"No thank you. We'll make this quick. Sorry for bothering you." Jinsoul answered. Hyejoo sat on the smallest couch, with Jinsoul and Jungeun sitting on the long one. Heejin sat on the circular couch right next to the them. The human sat across from them.

"You're fine. Actually I was wondering when I would see this brat again." She jokingly reassured, motioning towards Heejin, who then rolled her eyes once more.

"Yeah, yeah. I am only here because we need your help."

"Oh really?" The human raised her eyebrow teasingly. "So you're not here to spy on me again?"

"Ugh, no! Can we just let that go??"

"Nope, I will never let you forget that stupid mistake."

As Heejin huffed and surrendered, Jinsoul began to speak up.

"Anyway, we were wondering if we could get your assistance. Have you heard about the dragon gangs that are rising in Seoul?"

"Yes, I live in Seoul." the human's face grew serious. "But, I don't know much. I actually ran into one a couple of months ago. We had... a bit of a conflict."

"What happened to them?"

"Well, I had help back then. But she won't be back anytime soon. If you're asking if I know where they reside or what their plans are, I don't know much. All I know is that they are looking for something. Or...someone."

"Someone?"

"I don't know, it's just a thought. The one who tried to kidnap me was very persistent. Like they thought I had some kind of secret or important asset they needed or something like that. It didn't seem random. Clearly they have some kind of goal."

The dragons looked at each other in confusion. What, or who, were they looking for? As far as they knew, there was no hint to what or who it could be. But at least now they had more information then what they had earlier in the day.

"That's... certainly interesting." Jinsoul sat back. "Well, then..."

"So, uh.." Hyejoo started, but then stopped when she realized she did not even know the name of the human.

"Hyunjin."

"Uh, okay thanks." Hyejoo continued. "So, Hyunjin..is it possible you could help us? We want to go to the human dimensions, specifically Seoul, and well we don't even know where to start."

"I guess. But that depends."

"On?"

"On your discipline. If we are going to do this, we need to stay focus and solve this. This is something that I've been working on for years. I don't want this collaboration to go to waste."

"We are disciplined about this. I know it's not our people getting hurt first-hand, but we are all going get harmed in the end. If there is anything we do to stop our dimensions from literally collapsing or another war, we'll do it."

Hyunjin looked at the determination in Hyejoo's face and understood. These girls were serious. And it seemed like finally there were people as serious as her when it came to these sorts of issues. She was impressed.

"Okay, I'll help you."

Heejin quickly stood out of her chair in excitement.

"Finally! Now let's go!"

"Hold on!" Hyunjin warned. "We can't just get up and leave. When we go, we're not going to be back for a while. If we are actually going to investigate this, we need a plan and we need to bring anything essential."

"We're dragons. We don't need to pack as much as you humans do."

"And that's another thing." Hyunjin glared at the Heejin. "While you're there, you can't say "human" in that way. You say it in a demeaning way most of the time"

"Oh don't worry!" Jungeun reassured, giggling. "That's mostly a Heejin problem. We can control that. Not sure about her though."

"I'll try but I just find some of you guys have weird habits. That's all."

"Right." Hyunjin rolled her eyes at her, and turned her attention to the other girls.

"So, we leave at dawn. Get everything you need, we're going to be there at least a couple of months. I'll set us all up at a place where we can live for a while. We might need to split up, but I have friends that could help with that."

"Good" For the first time that day, Jinsoul breathed out relieved. Finally, they were going to get some answers. "Thank you Hyunjin."

"It's cool. I'm glad I finally found people to help me. It's been so long..." Also for the first time they have been there, the human gives a small grateful grin.

This felt too good to be true. Maybe, this some sort of fate. It was time to get to the bottom of all this.

°°°

Chaewon collapsed onto the bed. Man, it had been a long day. Some days, work was fun and some customers were just a joy to serve. But once and a while, there is always that one customer that messes it all up, complaining simply because they want things to go their way. It is not Chaewon's fault that the prices are "too high for you". She was not the manager so why let out your petty anger on her?

Oh well, hopefully a quick nap could make her forget-

"Meow~"

*Sigh.* Of course.

Chaewon sat up on the bed and looked towards the doorway. A little white kitten reared its head through, eyes widened in curiosity.

It's been a month since Chaewon brought this cat into her home. She does not know what she was doing bringing another animal into her home. She could have given her away someone or to an animal shelter, but something told her to keep it. So, she instead bought cat food and supplies, willing to take care of this helpless creature. She named her Nari, after her favorite flower. Because, even if she was a little demanding, she did lift her mood sometimes from a hard day.

Nari walked on her tiny legs towards the edge of the bed that Chaewon's legs hanged off of and looked up at her, pupils dilated.

"Meow~" the kitten wined, nudging her owner's leg with her nose.

"I know, you must be hungry right?" Chaewon got up from the bed, reached down and picked up the kitten with both hands. "I hope Yerim took good care of you while I was gone."

Yerim was probably the least busy out of her friends, being an artist and all. When did not have commissions, she was pretty free. Yerim knew quite a bit about cats, since she had a few from youth. So, it seemed fitting that Chaewon would go to her for advice or having her watch the kitten while she worked. Sometimes Yerim would just spend the day, bringing her art stuff and just watched Nari as she worked. Honestly, the blonde did not know what she could have done without the brunette.

Chaewon brought the kitten to the kitchen, setting her down on the island. She opened the cabinet, reached in a pulled out a can of cat food. Before closing it, she noticed that there was only a few cans left. She made a note to herself to go shopping tomorrow for more.

After promptly getting the cat bowl, Chaewon opened the can with the can opener and scooped out the food. After getting all into the bowl, took Nari and the bowl to the living room of the apartment. Setting them down, and positioning the cat in front of the food to eat.

"Eat up, little one." Chaewon said, petting the cat.

The kitten sniffed the food before shoving her snout in the food and began eating. The blonde could not help but coo at the way she eagerly ate. She turned her head and saw Bbomi, her dog, sleeping comfortably in her dog bed. The stress of everyday life always faded away with moments like these. Chaewon smiled and stood up from her crouched position.

As if on que, her cell phone that was in her pants pocket rang. She dug into her pocket and pulled the phone out. The caller ID appeared and read the name "Jiwoo". Without a second thought, she answered.

"Hello?"

*"Chaewon! You will not believe this!"*

Chaewon chuckled, and sat down on her couch.

"What is it this time?"

*"Well..."*

Chaewon could hear the excitement in her best friend's voice.

*"You remember that girl I work with on this new drama?"*

"Sooyoung? Yeah, you talk about her ALL the time anyway."

Jiwoo sheepishly giggled. *"Well, we went on a date today!"*

"What's new? You guys go on dates daily, right?"

*"Yeah, but this time....we kissed!"*

If Chaewon was drinking water, she would have spit it out then and there. Jiwoo and Sooyoung have been having these little dates for almost a month now with little progress. At some point, Chaewon just thought it would be a close friendship and no more. But clearly she was proven wrong.

"Wow, unnie! I'm so happy for you!"

*"Thanks, babe! I still can't believe it! We were just having dinner at this restaurant and while we were walking back to the hotel, she kissed me! Like, it was so unexpected, but felt so right too, you know?"*

"Yeah..." Chaewon smiled. "I get it. I'm glad it finally happened. Took her long enough."

*"It did! But it was worth the wait! And now, we are officially girlfriends! I'm so excited!!"*

Wow. Just a week ago, Jiwoo was worrying if Sooyoung really liked her, and now they were a couple. A thought in the back of Chaewon's mind was asking what changed to make her want to go and take this step. But, she did not dwell on it too much. After all, it made Jiwoo happy and, even if Chaewon did not understand it, it made herself happy too.

*"So, what are you doing tomorrow?"* asked Jiwoo.

"Oh, uh, nothing really. I was planning on just going shopping and relaxing on my day off. Maybe work on my writing a bit."

*"Oh yeah, that book you've been working on! How's it going?"*

Chaewon sighed. "Well, it's been kind of at a stand still. I don't have any inspiration."

*"Well, don't beat yourself up over it. I'm sure my smart and talented soulmate will think of something!"*

"Right..." Chaewon looked over at Nari, noticing how she had got herself over to her little kitty bed, already fallen asleep. Chaewon softly smiled at the sight.

*"Well, I'll leave you to that then! You know I'm coming to see the day after tomorrow right?"*

"Yeah, I can't wait! We get the whole day together right?" perked Chaewon.

*"Mhm! Anything you want to do, babe!"*

"I don't mind what we do. I just missed spending time with you..."

Jiwoo cooed her through the phone. *"Aw, I missed doing stuff with you too! Also, Sooyoung lives near there too, so you'll get to meet her for a bit!"*

"Oh.." Chaewon frowned a bit. She hoped it was going to be for a bit. She did not mind meeting knew people, but she just hoped that her best friend's new girlfriend was not going to steal her attention away.

*"Don't worry! Just for like a few minutes! Then she said she's going to go meet some of her family."*

"Okay, good..."

*"Aww, is my soulmate jealous??"* cooed Jiwoo, teasing her.

"N-No! I just want it to be about us..." Chaewon did not realize the pout in her voice until it was too late.

*"Aw, you're totally jelly! And pouty too! That's so adorable!"*

"Unnie..." The blonde's face turned a bright red as she wined.

*"Fine, fine, I'll let it go! I'll meet at your house at 9 am Sunday, okay?"*

"Okay, I'll see you then."

*"Nighty Night baby!"*

"Night, unnie."

Chaewon hanged up and grinned. Finally, Jiwoo was going to come and see her after two months of them not seeing each other face to face. Hopefully, nothing will get in the way of that.

***

"Are you okay, Hyejoo?"

Hyejoo jumped out of her thoughts when she heard her name. She turned around to see Jinsoul sitting on the living room floor next to her, packing her bag.

"Oh, yeah. Why?"

Jinsoul shrugged. "I don't know, you just seem distracted these days."

She was right. Hyejoo had been deep in her thoughts lately. There has been a lot on her mind when it came to many things. Especially when it came to:

"My father" Hyejoo started. "I've just been thinking about him."

"How come?" Jinsoul questioned.

"Well, we haven't talked in a year. And, it just makes me feel....weird."

"Weird?"

"Yeah. Maybe I'm just over thinking it. But, last time I left for a long time, he tried to come get me. But now, it's been a year. He hasn't even tried to contact me. I just thought it seemed suspicious."

"No, I get it." Jinsoul reassured, continuing to fold her clothes. "I understand how you feel. I would be worried too. But, don't dwell on it. It is possibly that he just..." 

"Doesn't care?"

"It is possible. He hated you anyway. Maybe he just doesn't want to see you anymore."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Hyejoo and Jinsoul continued to pack their essentials in silence. After a few minutes, they finished and got up off of the carpet. Just as they were carrying their bags to the door, Jungeun was calling down the stairs.

"Baby, where is my favorite shirt??" She called out.

"You mean the one with rose print?" Jinsoul called back.

"No, the one with sunflower in the middle with the wording!"

"I don't know! Didn't you put it in the wash on yesterday before the meeting?"

"No, I put it in on Monday! It should in the closet by now! I thought I hanged it up and I already checked the laundry basket!"

Jinsoul groaned. "Hold on! I'm coming!"

Hyejoo chuckled. "Is this what the married life is like?"

Jinsoul groaned again. "Unfortunately."

"Not only hearts and kisses huh?"

"You have NO idea." Jinsoul joked, still slightly annoyed as she ran up the stairs to go help her wife. 

It's been almost 9 months since the aqua and fauna hybrid got married. It was a pretty big event, since Jungeun came from large family who were obsessed with these kind of things. They have been waiting for the moment Jinsoul would pop the question, even to the point they seemed more excited than the people actually getting married. It was joyous time, Hyejoo remembered it like it was yesterday. The only thing that kind of sucked was that Jinsoul's side of the family were a little skeptical about the whole thing. Marrying outside of your type was looked down upon often times. They thought Jinsoul could do better and marry another aqua dragon. But, ultimately they realized that they were staying together no matter what, so they kept their mouth shut. Now they were almost a year into their marriage, and things seemed to be good. Even if they had moments like these.

"Okay let's go!"

The couple came walking down the steps, with a found shirt in Jungeun's left hand, and a suitcase in the other. 

"You found your shirt?"

"Yeah, I forgot that I put in my suitcase last night, and ultimately it was at the bottom of it. I almost had a heart attack!" Jungeun giggled, while Jinsoul rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, for no reason.." 

"Why are you so grumpy for? At least we found it!"

"Mhm..." Jinsoul crossed her arms. "Let's just go."

"Aww, I'm sorry baby!" Jungeun teased, back hugging her partner. "I appreciate your help though..."

The brunette placed kisses on her wife's right cheek and neck as way of calming her down. Jinsoul tried keeping a straight face, but ultimately could not keep herself from smiling from the affection.

"Okay, okay... Fine... I forgive you. Let's go now please." Jinsoul sighed, blushing.

"Yay, I win!" Jungeun continued to tease, placing more kisses on the nape of her neck.

Hyejoo audibly gagged.

"Ugh, can you please not do this in front of me?"

The couple laughed as Jungeun pulled away.

"Fine, let's go now! I think we have everything right?" Jungeun asked, putting her favorite shirt inside her suitcase.

"Well, not everyONE" Jinsoul groaned.

"Oh right, where is Heejin?" Hyejoo asked.

"Who knows? Probably got distracted like she always is." Jinsoul sighed, crossing her arms.

Right after she said this, there were multiple knocks on the door.

"Speak of the devil..."

Jinsoul went over to unlock the door. Heejin practically tumbled into the house, backpack in hand and hair a mess. Hyunjin came in after her, completely calm and was carrying a satchel.

"Sorry we are tardy. Heejin was being an impulsive child again." Hyunjin apologized, giving Heejin the side eye. 

"Hey! Ryujin needed something! So I had to go back!"

"Really?" Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. "So, by ' needed something ' you mean se-"

"Ya! Not in front of them!"

"No worries, Hyunjin. We're used to this." Jinsoul rolled her eyes, while closing the door behind them.

"It's normal?" Hyunjin questioned.

"Yeah, it is." Jungeun joked, carrying her luggage to the door. "Heejin is just like that you know? She's just always- "

"Impulsive! I get it!" Heejin groaned. "You might as well make that my nickname at this point."

"Hm, that's a good idea actually!" Jungeun giggled. 

"I was just jok-"

"Too late! I'm gonna call Jin-pulsive!"

Heejin glared at her in disbelief.

"You know, like the "Jin" in your name with "Impulsive"?"

Heejin glared harder.

"It's word play!"

Heejin deadpanned. "Right. Well that's the worst nickname I've ever heard."

"Listen, we don't have time for this!" Jinsoul complained. "Shouldn't we get going now?"

"Of course. The sooner the better." Hyunjin said as she reached into her satchel, pulling out a box. "Here"

She opened the box and pulled out two cellphones. She handed them to Hyejoo and Heejin.

"You will need this so we can keep in touch. I already put my number as well as all of yours. Since Jinsoul and Jungeun have their own, it should not be hard to get comfortable with."

Since Lympha was very modernized, they already had technology, unlike the other dragon dimensions minus Nox. Since Jinsoul got Jungeun a phone, they already knew how to use it. They were going to get Hyejoo a phone, but wanted to wait for so more advanced model. Lympha may be modern, but they did not have as much technology as Earth.

"Also a few things." She started. "While we're there, you have to lay low. I know we have a job to do, but we can't just jump right into it. We need to blend in, look normal, and not draw attention. We are going to a city, but things travel fast. Especially when it comes to dragons."

They all nodded. They were used to not standing out, so that would not be hard.

"Another thing," Hyunjin continued. "No one can know you are a dragon. If the wrong person finds out, we will be in big trouble. You could be a target for a lot of people who despise dragons. The only people who will know is me and a few friends. I trust them and know they will help us."

"We'll be careful." Jinsoul reassured. They knew the dangers and took great caution toward it. "Anything else?"

"Yes, just one thing." Hyunjin looked at the others seriously. "To ensure we don't get caught, there will be no magic."

"What?" Heejin exclaimed, staring in confusion. "Why not?"

"Like I said, if someone sees you doing magic, there will be hell to pay. I don't want anything to go wrong."

"Wait, so NO magic?"

"Yes, you can't use your elemental magic, which is the control of water for Jinsoul, nature for Jungeun, fire for Hyejoo, and wind for you. As well as your other powers such as super strength, speed, and flight. No matter if it is tempting, we can't take any risks. Got it?"

Even though the other three nodded in agreement, Heejin could not let it go.

"Who would even notice?" she protested. But Hyunjin was having none of it.

"Yeah, who would? Not only are in a city that is home to thousands of people, there are organizations who specifically hunt down dragons no matter what their motives and either murder them on the spot or sent them to a laboratory to me experimented on for the rest of your life. And let me tell you, they don't give any fucks about you, they just see you as a creature to be tortured for their sick enjoyment. So tell me, who do you think would care? Because I can name plenty."

Heejin grew silent and surrendered. She gave an "okay." while sighing.

"Good. Now, shall we go? I have a job I need to go to."

"You work?" Hyejoo asked.

Hyunjin nodded. "Yeah, I live alone. So I need to make ends meet some how." 

"So are we all staying at your house or..." Jinsoul started.

"We could, but I figure it wouldn't be comfortable having five people living in a one bedroom apartment." Hyunjin responded. "So, I decided that we will split up. It will things less suspicious that way too."

They all fully understood. But also, they felt anxious. It was their first time going to Earth. There were a lot of risks, but they needed to take it in order to save many lives. 

"Now that that's taken care of, let's get going."

"Finally!" Heejin perked. "Took us long enough."

"But, one question!" the youngest started. "How do we get there?"

"It's just like going to any other dimension, really." Hyunjin began. "You guys have the spell to do that right?"

"Yeah, but what about you? You're not a dragon so..."

"I have a few tricks I use. But the main way is this."

Hyunjin revealed a necklace that had been covered by her jacket. It had a long chain with a emerald gem at the bottom of it.

"This was given to me by an old friend. It helps go to any dimension any time."

"Wow, that's pretty cool!" 

Everyone awed at it briefly. These kind of magical trinkets were hard to find these days. Back in ancient times, these things were bad by very skilled craftspeople. But, overtime, these kinds of people seem to slowly disappear, with only a few being around today. So this jewelry was either really old or the "old friend" were one of the few left.

"So, are we ready?"

All of them nodded. This was it. Finally they were going to answer all their questions.

Now, dimension traveling was not a hard skill to master. It is taught very early on, at the age of 10, as a basic skill for dragons. So, anyone could do it with a little bit of practice. So this became very simple for them to do. 

As all of them began to speak some sort of incantation, it felt like the world around then began to shake. Everything around them faded away and blinding lights surrounded them, causing them to shut their eyes. They felt light, as if they were leaving their own bodies. 

Then everything went dark.

***

Chaewon groaned as the alarm on her phone went off. She rolled over on her side and reached for her phone from her bed. She promptly turned it on to check the time.

*8:00 am*

Normally, Chaewon would sleep in since it was her day off of work. But she had to go shopping for several things, including pet food and supplies, and personal items for herself. Since Jiwoo was coming tomorrow, it was probably best to get this done in the morning before she got lazy about it.

So Chaewon dragged herself out of bed and went to go take a shower. Then she got dressed, putting on a pair of blue jeans and a fluffy pink sweater. She brushed her teeth, and made herself presentable. When it came to makeup, Chaewon was not excessive. She did not want to douse herself in so much since she found no need. She put on something light and headed to the kitchen. 

As usual, the blonde was met with two animals staring up at her with bright eyes. She smiled and went to go grab their food bowls.

"Hold on, food is on the way!"

She got out both the dog and cat food, poured them into their respective bowls, and set them down in front of the two pets. They both began eating the food with no second thought. Chaewon petted them both.

"Glad you too enjoy it." She cooed them softly. "I'm going to be gone for an hour so please be good."

Obviously, they could not understand her. But sometimes it felt like they could. Especially since they both looked at her briefly as if they were confirming that they understood. It happened often, so Chaewon would often talk to then like they could comprehend. Maybe living alone for so long does that to you.

Chaewon has been living alone for almost four years now, and while she had friends come over from time to time, she never had any to actually stay here. It got lonely sometimes coming home to no one she could actually talk to. Maybe she needed someone to cure this, but who would it be? All of her close friends lived somewhere already. Sometimes she thought about dating, but it was easier said than done. She could never bring herself to do it, being so shy and introverted. It would be challenge to get the courage to ask someone out. Not that she did not want a girlfriend, but she was not someone like Jiwoo who can pick up girls in a drop of a hat. Maybe one day, she will find the perfect girl, but for now it was just herself and her two pets.

Chaewon was brought out of her thoughts by a knock at the door. She stared at it confused.

She was not expecting anyone and she already told Yerim that she did not have to come today. Hesitantly, she walked over to the door. Before she put her hand on the doorknob, a voice exclaimed from the other side.

"Why are we here again?"

"Oh my god, were you not listening?"

"Well sorry!"

"Guys let's not fight right now! We can't seem like a nuisance to the girl!"

"It's not like all of us will stay here! Besides, she can't hear us anyway!"

"Sure, she can't hear us yelling right up against the door." 

"Guys, she'll be here any second!"

"Maybe I shouldn't have offered to help you guys..."

Chaewon recognized the last voice. It sounded like Hyunjin, so she relaxed a bit. But who were the other voices?

She unlocked the door and turned the knob. Then she just stood there.

She met Hyunjin's face, but also saw four other girls behind her. She did not recognize them at all. The first girl had brown messy hair, was the shortest and had a pouty expression on her face. The second girl had black hair with bangs, and appeared to be the oldest. She was linking arms with the brunette who was next to her, who seemed to be the only one not tense. 

Then there was the final girl. She had long jet black hair and brown eyes. She wore a gray hoodie with black jeans. Come to think of it, everything she wore was pretty monochromatic of black, since her boots, belt and other accessories were either completely black or some shade of grey. Her face somehow looked both mature and baby like at the same time. Before she knew it, Chaewon was staring at her. It was not until Hyunjin spoke did she turn her attention away from the girl.

"Hey, Chaewon. Long time no see."

"Huh? Oh yeah! I haven't seen you in like a few weeks right? I missed you!"

They both hugged each other tightly.

"So, what brings you here?" Chaewon asked, pulling away.

"Well, remember when I said that I would needing a little help with the mission I'm working on?"

"Yeah, I remember. What about it?"

"Well, I kind of got my help." 

She motioned to the females behind her. They all gave a small wave.

"That's great! But why do you need me?"

"Well," Hyunjin gave an awkward chuckle. "do you have any room for a few people?"

Chaewon stared at her confusedly at first but then once she saw the sheepish smiles, her eyes widened.

"Oh...."

**

"So, lemme get this straight. You guys came to Earth in order to stop an underground organization of dragons who are trying to corrupt and take over our world and you guys now need a place to stay for the time being?"

"Yeah. That's pretty much it." the black haired girl with bangs said.

"I see..."

Chaewon pondered on it for a moment. Was this some kind of coincidence. As soon as she complains about her loneliness, 4 dragons and old friend come along and ask for a place to stay? That really is some kind of coincidence.

"Not all of us, though." Hyunjin clarified. "Only these three."

Hyunjin pointed everyone else except for the messy haired brunette from earlier.

"I have enough room for one more. So, I'm bringing Heejin with me. Besides, she'll probably be too annoying to handle."

"Hey!" The girl named Heejin said, sounding offended.

"That's fine." Chaewon responded. "I have room for a couple people. I guess.."

It was true. She had an extra bedroom besides her own for when Jiwoo stayed over for a while. And her apartment was pretty big, so space was not an issue.

"I can fit you three but I only have one more bed.."

"That's fine! Jinsoul and I can share a bed since we're together." the light brunette reassured as she she held out her hand. "I'm Jungeun by the way!"

Chaewon smiled and took her hand to shake. "Good! I'm Chaewon!"

"Nice to meet you! That's Jinsoul by the way" Jungeun said, pointed to the girl next to her.

"Hey, I hope we aren't causing you trouble" Jinsoul worriedly asked. But Chaewon dismissed it.

"No, I'm cool with it. It was getting full around here and company is always welcomed! Besides, I said a while ago that I would help Hyunjin with anything when it came to this dragon stuff. If it makes your task easier, than I'm willing to help!"

"Thank you, we appreciate this." 

Hyunjin grinned and gave her dear friend a hug as if to say thank you. 

"Thank you Chaewon. We promise this won't be long."

"No worries!" Chaewon said to Hyunjin before facing Jinsoul and Jungeun. "Just make yourselves at home!" 

"I think Hyejoo already has!" Jungeun turned to her left and chuckled. Everyone turned around to see Hyejoo crouched down, petting Chaewon's dog Bbomi and cooing. The dog started to happily bark and wag its tail. When she noticed everyone looking at her, the hybrid looked at them sheepishly. 

"Sorry... Your dog is very cute. So is the cat."

Hyejoo petted Nari for a little and she began to purr. 

"Ya! Hyejoo! How many times do I have to tell you you can't just-"

Chaewon put her hand on Jinsoul's shoulder to calm her down. 

"It's okay! I don't mind! I'm glad she started to make herself comfortable." Chaewon reassured. She smiled at Hyejoo, who in return smiled back and turned her attention back to the pets.

*Wow she is adorable...*

"Well if you're okay with that..." Jinsoul sighed.

"I probably should get going. I got to drop this one off..." Hyunjin points to Heejin. "...and head to work. You sure you'll be okay?"

"Yeah, of course! I really don't mind, honest."

"Okay then. I promise I'll pay you back."

With that, Hyunjin and Heejin head towards the door, about to leave.

"See ya guys later!" Heejin said before walking out the door. Then she teasingly chuckled. "And don't scare the girl!"

"Please, we are a joy to be around!" Jungeun called back. 

Heejin rolled her eyes. "Sure-"

"Let's go, Jin-pulsive." 

Hyunjin grabbed Heejin by her shirt and dragged her away from the doorway. 

"Hey, I said not to-"

Before the phrase was finished, the door shut, leaving Jungeun chuckling in victory. Chaewon went to lock the door.

"So," Chaewon started and motioned to the luggage they had brought in. "Do you guys want to unpack or...?"

"Yes, we can do that." Jinsoul responded. 

"Okay, I'll show you and Jungeun your room. Just make yourselves comfortable. And Hyejoo?"

Hyejoo turned her attention back to the others after minutes of playing with the dog and cat. 

"Yeah?"

"You could just sleep in my room. I don't really mind sleeping out here or anything."

"Wait, no! It's fine!" Hyejoo stood up and protested. "I don't want you to do that! I can sleep out here!" 

"But-"

"No please! I brought a blanket. You sleep in your room."

Chaewon sighed in defeat. "Okay..." 

She did not know why she wanted to be so nice to this hybrid, despite them just meeting a few minutes ago, but the blonde felt like she had to. Call her crazy, but it felt like it was a must.

"Thank you, though..." Hyejoo said, smiling in gratitude and placed a gracious hand on her shoulder. For some reason, that action made Chaewon get flustered.

"S-Sure..." 

"Ahem."

The two turned to see the couple standing there, eye brows raised and looking confused. 

"Oh yeah, your room! Lemme show you it!" 

Chaewon began to lead the couple to their room, with them carrying their luggages. As they were passing, Jungeun looked at Hyejoo and gave her a sly smirk. 

"What?"

"Nothing..." She said slyly before catching up with others. 

Hyejoo just ignored her and began to unpack her stuff.

*I have weird friends...*

***

"So, I was planning on going to the stores to do some shopping. You guys can stay here if you want."

Chaewon put on her coat and grabbed her purse. Everyone was now settled, with Jungeun taking a nap in the bedroom, Jinsoul laying back on the couch reading, and Hyejoo playing with Bbomi while Nari slept. They all seemed both comfortable and occupied, so Chaewon took this opportunity to do what she wanted to do earlier.

Hyejoo looked at her, seemingly wanting to say something but did not.

"Okay, see you later..." 

Chaewon saw the small frown on her face and pondered for a moment before saying:

"Do you wanna come with me?"

Hyejoo looked her straight in the face, looking confused but then gave a gracious smile and nodded.

"Sure"

She got up and just as she was walking over, Chaewon grabbed a tote bag and handed to her.

"You wanna bring Bbomi along? I noticed you really seem to like her."

Hyejoo nodded and silently thank her. She put on her coat and grabbed the tote bag, putting it on. Chaewon in the meantime picked up her dog and placed it in the bag, making sure the dog was secure and comfortable. 

"Thank you."

"No problem. Let's head out."

"Be careful you two!" Jinsoul warned lifting her head from her book. "There has been a lot of attackings these days by dragons. Stay vigilant."

"We'll be fine!" Hyejoo whined. "I can handle of few dragons anyway."

"You remember what Hyunjin said, we got to stay low. So that means avoiding them as to not stir conflict."

Hyejoo groaned and rolled her eyes while Chaewon chuckled.

"Don't worry. I'll keep her out of trouble!" Chaewon joked.

"Thank you Chaewon. At least one person is taking this seriously..."

Hyejoo huffed and pouted, much to the amusement of the both of them as they laughed. 

"Can we just go?"

"Fine, fine.."

Chaewon unlocked and opened the door, with both young girls heading out, closing the door behind them.

***

The walk to the pet store was pretty silent. Hyejoo at first just played Bbomi in the tote bag, but then later was busy taking in the scenery of the city, never have been in a place similar to this. Chaewon smiled at her curiousity but did not have the courage to ask her about it or start a conversation. 

Hyejoo watched the streets next to her as strange machines rushed by them. 

"Those are called "cars" right?"

The blonde perked up and looked where the black haired girl was pointing at.

"Yeah, they are!" Chaewon responded. "You haven't seen one before?"

"No, I used to live in a pretty traditional society. We did not have much machinery or technology. Plus, we mostly use our wings to get to where we need to so..."

"Oh right." 

*Of course she did not drive cars.* Chaewon thought. *Why drive when you can fly wherever you wanted? I'm so stupid-*

"You're close with Hyunjin right?"

Chaewon snapped out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh yeah! Since high school."

"So you know about dragons?"

"Yeah quite a bit. She would always tell me about them since I would be the most willing to listen. She would constantly tell me about what she found and the research she did, so I kinda learned along with her. It's kind of like how when you find anime for the first time and you fangirl over-"

"Anime?"

"You don't-" Chaewon stoped herself before asking another dumb question. "Oh right. Nevermind."

Hyejoo hummed and they were silent for another five minutes.

"So, um-" Chaewon started, trying to start up a conversation. "How is life living as a dragon? I mean, it seems cool!"

"I guess, sure. I mean, flight is fun, all the enhanced abilities are cool, too. But, it isn't as amazing as you might think. Especially when some dragons are so rude and self-centered. Especially my kind."

"What kind are you?"

"Flame. They're the most irritating type to be honest. So, I left Ardor years ago. I live Jinsoul and Jungeun now, which has been so much better."

"That's good you got friends who helped you out!"

"Yeah, it is. They're like family to me. Same with Heejin. It's like Jinsoul and Jungeun are like my parents, and Heejin is like a weird older sister. We're a strange family, but it works." Hyejoo chuckled a little, making Chaewon grin.

"You all seem close. Yet so different too."

"Mhm, we are. Jinsoul is an aqua hybrid, being a little straightforward and serious, but caring. Jungeun is a fauna hybrid, and she is definitely the over protective mom type, but just has a big heart. And Heejin is a wind hybrid and she is weird, but is super cool as well, I guess. We all complete each other, so we look over our differences."

"That sounds nice to have a family like that."

Hyejoo smiled to herself and nodded. "Yeah."

A few minutes later, they made it to the pet store. Hyejoo helped Chaewon find all the stuff she needed, while also stopping to see all the pets throughout. Hyejoo really seemed to be in awe at all of them, while Chaewon was just happy to see her smiling. She did not know why, but the blonde really loved seeing the the black hair girl so joyful. It was like the more the hybrid was happy, she was happier too. It was strange, but felt nice.

They eventually headed up to the register to pay. 

"How's the kitten Chaewon?" The cashier said.

Chaewon placed the pet essentials on the counter. "Great! She's a sweetheart."

"Sounds good!" 

The cashier began to ring up all of the items, but stopped for a second when she saw Hyejoo next to her.

"Girlfriend?"

Chaewon's eyes widen and blushed. 

"N-No? Why?"

"No reason." The cashier laughed. "You guys look good together."

While Chaewon chuckled in embarrassment, Hyejoo seemed unfazed, somewhat just playing with Bbomi again. She just seemed to take in the comment and thought no more of it.

They finished up, paid, and was about to take their stuff and go.

"Good luck!"

"Thank you!" Chaewon responded. "Hopefully the kitten will love this!"

The cashier smirked. "I don't mean the kitten."

Chaewon's face turned red again, and sheepishly laughed at the woman before walking out after Hyejoo.

"Sorry," Chaewon apologized. "She's just joking around."

"No, I get it. I don't mind." Hyejoo reassured. "Where to now?"

"Well, I was going to head home but, maybe we could go to the park?"

"Sure why not. Lead the way."

***

They got to the park in a short walk. It was a sunny day and early in the afternoon, so there were a lot of people there. They took Bbomi out of the bag, and played with her from a while, taking her on walks, and just having a peaceful time. Eventually they sat down on a bench, with Bbomi laying on Hyejoo's lap, falling asleep.

"That cashier was a hybrid."

"What?" Chaewon looked at her, surprised.

"Yeah, I knew the moment I saw her."

"How?"

"Dragons can sense those things. And usually the scent can distinguish what type they are, which can only be sensed as dragons as well. She's a fauna."

"Wow, that's cool. I never would of known."

"That's the point. No one can know. It's too dangerous. Especially here."

"Yeah, it sucks that you guys have to deal with such hate and discrimination. But also, why do some dragons come here and take the risk?"

"Our dimensions are perfect either. There are a lot of internal issues, like power struggles and political issues, and life gets hard. Some like to come here to start over and have a better life. Most wait until they get of age, usually between sixteen and eighteen, and migrate here. Then they just reconstruct their life, often marrying a human, having kids or just doing their own thing. Some have a partner before coming so they both come here together. I know Jinsoul talked about doing that with Jungeun when they got married, but they decided not to."

"They're married? That makes sense." Chaewon awed.

"Yeah, almost a year in. But still in that sickly honeymoon phase.."

Hyejoo pretended to throw up, and Chaewon laughed.

"So you really are their daughter, huh?" she joked.

"Yeah, sometimes unfortunately."

They both laughed for a bit. 

The mood then grew serious. 

"But some dragons just want to take revenge on you humans. They take part of underground gangs and organizations who strive to bring tragedy and pain to Earth. They hate humans with a passion, and are already planning. That's why we need to figure out how to stop them."

"I figured. I have been hearing about it in the news. It's terrible for both sides."

"Exactly..." Hyejoo sighed. "Humans are being harmed, the hybrids here who just want to start a new life and blend in are being hunted down by your police. It's harming everyone. No one wins with this."

"Why isn't anyone on your side doing anything?" Chaewon asked.

"Most of them don't care. They have a grudge against your kind, so they ignore it. If they succeed, they'll see it as win for our kind, which is false." 

"Wow, that is crazy..." the blonde was stunned. "Well it's amazing the four of you plus Hyunjin are willing to help everyone!"

"Yeah, but we can't do it alone. We just want find out more information for now. But we're only five. We can save the universe by ourselves."

"Six."

Hyejoo looked her, confused. "What?"

"Six. Because you have me." Chaewon stated, reassuringly. "I don't know much about all this, or about how to fix it, but if I can help in anyway, I can."

"Are you sure? Because it's dangerous business." 

"Yeah, I know but I want to help everyone. This is a situation that can end up harming everyone, so it's as much my fight as yours. I can't stand anyone being hurt. I want to help you."

Hyejoo looked at her, searching for any doubt but found none. She smiled gratefully.

"Thank you, Chaewon. I appreciate this."

Chaewon blushed but smiled back. 

"Don't thank me, I'm just that kind of person I guess..." She chuckled.

Hyejoo leaned forward and pulled Chaewon into a hug. It was their first time they physically touched in anyway, and it felt strange. For some reason, it felt as if everything was in fire. Not in a bad way, but in a soothing way. As Chaewon hugged her back, the fire only burned brighter and it made them both feel good. They hugged longer than they were planning to, because the warm feeling felt nice. Eventually Chaewon forced herself to put away before it got awkward.

*That was strange...*

They both chuckled awkwardly.

"Sorry..." Hyejoo said, shying away.

"No! It's fine! I don't mind..."

They both say there blushing for a moment. They did not know why such a simple physical action could feel so nice, but they are not complaining. It was just very odd.

"A-Anyway..." Chaewon started. "Let's head home. It's getting around dinnertime."

Hyejoo, still embarrassed, nodded. They headed home after carefully placing the dog back in the tote bag so they do not wake her up. The walk home was quiet, but it was not as awkward as earlier, just calm. They did not even notice that their hands were brushing against each other, which then eventually turned into holding hands. But they did not mind when they realized.

Everything about was strange. They only met a couple hours ago but felt a connection so soon. As if they have been friends for years. But no complaints were made. It felt right somehow, so they just kept quiet about it.

They finally got to the apartment and stood in front of the door. Before walking in, Chaewon had one more question on her mind.

"Also, why did you want to come with me?"

Hyejoo looked at her, thought for a few moments, before giving her an answer.

"I don't know. I guess it felt right. It was like a voice in my head told me to."

Chaewon hummed in understanding. She did not actually fully get it, but she also did in some way. Because, she felt that way too.

She unlocked and opened the door.

"We're back!" Chaewon announced, placing the bags on the kitchen table. Hyejoo dealt with Bbomi, taking her out of the tote bag and placed the sleeping dog in her bed. As she did this, Nari came up to her, meowing at her. Hyejoo cooed and began petting her. 

The area was empty, Jinsoul probably had went into her room. So Chaewon, with Hyejoo's help, fed Nari and set up Bbomi's food for when the dog woke up. 

"What do you want to eat?"

Hyejoo pondered for a moment. "I don't really mind. Anything is okay. I'm not picky and it's your house."

Chaewon ended up making kimchi fried rice with some chicken since she had not made it in a while. While she was almost done cooking she asked Hyejoo to go get the couple to see if they wanted to eat. She walked down the hallway, towards the door to their bedroom. 

When she opened the door, Hyejoo was about to walk in when she stopped midway to see Jungeun on top of Jinsoul's lap, fully clothed (thankfully), and was deep into a make out session. They had not noticed Hyejoo walked in until Jinsoul had opened her eyes and looked passed Jungeun. If this was a few years ago, they would have pulled away quickly and felt awkward afterwards. But having been used to this, they pulled away calmly and Jungeun just turned around on Jinsoul's lap to greet the youngest.

"Oh, hey! Had fun with Chaewon?" the fauna asked, completely unbothered on her walking in on them.

"Yeah. She's nice." Hyejoo responded.

"Sooo..." 

"So?"

"You guys gonna get together?" 

"Oh my god." Hyejoo rolled her eyes. "Why are you pressed about this?"

"Because, you guys look good together!" Jungeun stated.

"God, all you faunas are the same."

"Wait, you met another hybrid?" Jinsoul asked.

"Yeah, at the pet store. She was chill though."

"Hopefully..."

"Anyway, Chaewon is almost done with dinner. If you're done making out, you can come eat."

"Sounds nice! Let's go!" Jungeun jumped off of Jinsoul's lap, and Jinsoul came off the bed behind her.

They ended eating a nice meal while discussing more about each other. Chaewon actually learned more about Jinsoul and Jungeun's relationship and how they got together, which she found cute while Hyejoo jokingly gagged. Chaewon told a little more about herself, including her friendship with Hyunjin, and few others. It was the first time in a long time she sat down and had dinner with people, so it was nice to finally get to do this. They were nice company and very friendly.

They talked for about an hour before they decided to go to bed. The couple headed to bed first, leaving Hyejoo and Chaewon by themselves. 

"Are you ready for bed too?" Chaewon asked, but Hyejoo shook her head in response.

"Not really. I'm not really the type to go to bed early. Usually I stay up until at least midnight."

"I used to. But it's hard to take orders at my job while half asleep." Chaewon joked, making Hyejoo laugh a little.

"Make sense."

"So, what do you wanna do then?"

"Well..." Hyejoo thought for a moment. "Tell me about you. You talked a lot about other people, but not much about yourself."

"Oh, well... I'm not really that interesting..."

"I don't think so, I mean everyone is interesting in their way." Hyejoo reassured. 

"I guess..." Chaewon started. "But I never was an interesting kid. I always blended in with the crowd. I never had friends, until I met Jiwoo."

"Jiwoo? The actress friend, right?"

"Yeah, my best friend too. We did everything together. She would cancel plans with other people just to hang out with me, she would buy me tons of things, even though I didn't need it. Jiwoo just treated me like I was special, even though I was not."

"She sounds nice..." Hyejoo noted with a small smile.

"Yeah, she is... The best person I've ever met. Now I don't see her as often because of her job. It gets lonely sometimes. I mean, I have other friends, but they pretty much have their life together."

"And you don't?" Hyejoo asked.

"Not yet. I have a job, but I don't really want to work at a cafe for the rest of my life. I...wanted to be an author but..."

"You should be one then." 

"It's not that easy. I write, but getting good money from it that will allow me to do it full time is a little challenging."

"I don't know much about writing, but if you're really passionate about it, then you should pursue it. You should live your life without any regrets."

Hyejoo placed her hand on Chaewon's shoulder as a form of support. The fire from earlier came back, but only in small tingles and it concentrated on that one spot. The blonde could not help the heat in her cheeks and her face turned red.

*Why does her body react this way?*

The hybrid seemed to notice how uncomfortable the other was, and pulled her hand away. 

"Th-Thanks.." Chaewon stuttered out.

"No problem..."

They were quiet for a few seconds.

"Do you feel th-"

"Yeah." Hyejoo looked down awkwardly. "But, let's not stress about. It's probably nothing, right?"

Hyejoo sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than anything. Chaewon nodded, but was slightly skeptical on letting this go. But, it was late and she was tired so this was question to be answered later. But, again, this was odd.

"We should go to bed now." Hyejoo said, getting up to get the blanket out of her suitcase.

"Okay.." Chaewon agreed. "You sure you want to sleep out here? I don't mind-"

"I'll sleep here. You're too generous and I appreciate it but we're the guests. You've given up your home, I should at least allow you to keep your room."

"Okay..." Chaewon got off the couch and started headed down the hall to her room. But, she turmed back one last time. 

"Good night, Hyejoo."

Hyejoo, who was about to lay on the couch to sleep, looked back at her, smiling softly.

"Good night, Chaewon."

Chaewon could not sleep as easily that night. She thought about several things, but for most part it was about Hyejoo. Everything about the two of them together was strange. But for some reason, it felt... satisfying? Honestly, she could not tell whether it was need for company or Hyejoo herself was the reason why she felt this way. The hybrid intrigued her, but they barely knew each other. And then, the touches... It felt soothing. It was like a flame lit inside her but not in a painful way. What was wrong with her?

Chaewon sighed into her pillow. 

Maybe, all she needed was some sleep...

***

*"Chaewon.."

Chaewon's eyes opened and was immediately blinded by sunlight. She felt something's tickling her arms, only to notice that she was laying in a field of flowers. She sat up and looked around to see hills and valleys of colorful blossoms that seemed endless. A sweet lavender scent blew the air and created a feeling of tranquility. As Chaewon stood up, she heard the voice again, sounding less distant.

"Chaewon..."

The blonde looked around her to find the source of voice, but there was nobody for miles. Come to think of it, she was the only one here with there being not even a bird in the sky. It was peaceful but ominous. Suddenly, a strong breeze rushed past Chaewon, causing a chill run through her body. As the wind blew, the voice came back and began whispering inaudible words in her ears. The voice was very feminine and soothing, as if they were telling her a lullaby. When the winds stopped, the whispers slowly became more audible.

"Chaewon, listen to me. There is not much time. You must protect your friends at all costs. There is an unknown darkness approaching quickly. Be aware of all people that are around you. Not everything is what is what it seems."

The blonde looked around confused. What did she mean?

"And whatever you do, do not fight with the "Sun". You are not ready for her yet."

"What does that mean? Who is the "Sun"?

"In due time, my child. Be patient."

"Wait-"

All of a sudden, the world around her began to crumble and shatter and everything became white.*


	2. 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> • i'm sorry for all the trouble. one minute I love, the next I hate. 
> 
> what is wrong with me?
> 
> i guess I have accept that 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖. •

Hyejoo slowly opened her eyes. She looked around with lazy eyes at her surroundings. She could see the sun only starting to rise through curtains of the window in front of her. Normally, she would sleep longer, but for some reason her body did not feel tired and wanted to get up, much to the hybrid's resistance. So, with a groan, she sat up on the couch and stretched out. While she was stretching, she felt something rubbing against her leg. Looking down, she saw Nari grazing her head against her, purring. Hyejoo smiled sleepily.

"Hey, little one." Hyejoo said, petting the top of its head. "You up already?"

The kitten looked up at her and meowed, as if she was responding to her question. Nari tried to climb up Hyejoo's sweatpants, digging it's tiny claws into the fabric. The hybrid chuckled and picked up the kitten and placed it onto her lap. The kitten looked her with curious eyes while the hybrid kept petting her. 

"You're so adorable...."

Nari just kept meowing and purring, clearly enjoying the the hybrid's company. 

Hyejoo was so caught up with the cat that she did not notice a bedroom door opening and someone walking up the hallway to the living room. 

"Hyejoo?..."

Hyejoo jumped slightly and turned her head to see who called her name. Chaewon stood their, hair messy and eyes hazy. She was in light green colored pajamas, an oversized short sleeve with a dog face in the front and shorts. She dragged herself over to Hyejoo, still sleepy and her face pouty. Internally, the black haired girl cooed the blonde and admired how adorable she looked. 

"Why are you up so early?" Chaewon asked, rubbing her eyes. 

"I should be asking you the same thing. You looked drained." Hyejoo joked.

"I don't even know. I just couldn't go back to sleep. It's like my body is forcing me to stay up."

"You and me both..."

"I see Nari is taking a liking to you."

Chaewon motioned the kitten on Hyejoo's lap. Even though the hybrid stopped petting her, Nari kept rubbing head into her stomach and purring louder than before. 

Hyejoo sighed. "I guess. I don't know why she likes me so much."

"Well cats are known for being good at understanding people. Maybe she just feels a connection to you."

"Maybe.."

They were silent for a bit.

"So-"

"Do you wanna sit next to me?"

Chaewon looked at her confusedly, but after realizing she was serious, the blonde nodded.

"Okay..."

Hyejoo shifted over, giving Chaewon space to sit down beside her. When she sat down, they both looked around nervously, avoiding eye contact. Hyejoo went back to petting the kitten and Chaewon just looked at them quietly. She smiled fondly at the two. Hyejoo periodically turned to look at Chaewon, whose eyes kept blinking repeatedly as if the human girl was trying to stay awake.

"Did you sleep well at all?" Hyejoo asked, slightly worried.

Chaewon shook her head. "Not really. Kept having strange dreams, but it's not a big- "

Chaewon let out a large yawn.

"-deal"

"Well, it is a big deal if you couldn't sleep because of it. Do those types of dreams usually happen?"

"No... Well not in a long time. I had them when I was little, about 8 or 9, but they stopped."

"What are they about?"

Chaewon yawned again. "I don't even know. They just keep telling me about protecting others, not trusting some people, and then..."

The blonde leaned her head slightly, almost falling asleep before jerking her head back up.

"... something about... fighting the sun..."

"Fighting the sun? What does that-"

Before Hyejoo could finish, she felt a light weight on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly to see Chaewon laying her head on her shoulder, sleeping. She was completely dozed off, quietly snoring. Hyejoo sighed but smiled that the the other girl could finally sleep. She hesitantly placed an arm around the blonde's shoulder, bringing her closer. The sleeping girl sighed contently and slightly cuddled into her. If this was anyone else, Hyejoo would have been uncomfortable, even if it was Jungeun or Jinsoul. But this felt so satisfying and right to do, with the underlying warmth coming back. The hybrid laid her head lightly on the other's while half- mindedly continuing to pet Nari.

They only met yesterday, yet it felt like they have known each other for years. There was no explanation for this that they knew of, but in some ways they did not care. 

They were just relishing in the fact they found comfort in someone.

***

"Hyejoo..."

The flame hybrid shifted slightly, refusing to wake up.

"Hyejoo!"

Hyejoo groaned as she slowly got up, glaring at the person with lazy eyes.

"What??" she said with annoyance.

Jinsoul rolled her eyes. "Come on. We have to get going."

"Where?.."

"Hyunjin wanted to meet with us. Remember why we're here?"

"Mm.. Five more minutes..."

"Right now, Hyejoo. Stop cuddling with Chaewon so we can leave."

Oh right. Hyejoo remembered that she had fallen asleep with the blonde earlier. She looked to her right to see her still sleeping in the same position as before she slept.

*She must have really been tired...*

Hyejoo felt pity for girl and almost did not want to wake her up. But, unless she wanted to hear Jinsoul complain again, she had to.

"Chaewon..." she called softly, but loud enough for the sleeping girl to hear. 

Chaewon stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes. 

"Yeah?..."

"It's time to wake up..."

"Mm.." Chaewon stretched her arms and yawned. She sat there silently, but then jerked herself away from the hybrid.

"Oh my god." Chaewon exclaimed, eyes widened and staring at Hyejoo. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep on you! It must've been so uncomfortable for you..."

The hybrid chortled and smiled, completely unbothered. 

"It's okay. I don't really mind. Don't apologise."

"Really? Are you sure?

Hyejoo nodded and Chaewon relaxed. But she still carried a blush on her face from embarrassment.

"Um, anyway..." she started. "I should probably go change..."

With her face still red, the blonde stood up from the couch and headed towards her bedroom, not looking back at anyone. 

Hyejoo grinned. *Cute...*

"Ahem."

Hyejoo turned around to see Jinsoul looking at her questioningly and Jungeun silently laughing. 

"What?"

"You're hopeless..." Jinsoul said with a sigh, arms crossed.

"What do you mean?"

Jungeun put her hands on Hyejoo's shoulders, shaking her.

"You seriously don't see it?" she exclaimed, shaking her with every word. Hyejoo shrugs.

"You're so clueless, aren't you? You don't see that you like her?"

"What??" Hyejoo pulls back. "I don't like her."

"Yes you do! Did you see the way you looked at her?? She's like your little baby!" Jungeun cooed.

"I was just being nice. She's a sweet girl but I'm not going to crush on a girl I just met 24 hours ago."

"If you say so..." Jungeun teased. "But I think she likes you too."

"No, she just being nice to me."

"The blushing?"

"She was just embarrassed. I would be too."

"Maybe, but I bet she enjoyed it with all that smiling and cuddling..."

"You are not gonna let this go are you?"

"Nope. Not until you confess." Jungeun said with a giggle. Hyejoo sighed.

"Well, you'll have to wait a while because I don't-" 

*Knock. Knock.*

All of them turned towards the door. 

"See, now Hyunjin is here and you're not ready." Jinsoul said with a huff and crossed arms.

"Well maybe if you guys didn't bother me with this, maybe I would've been."

*"Chaewon! Are you there?"*

The voice that called Chaewon's name clearly sounded high pitched and girly, and did not resemble Hyunjin's voice at all. Jinsoul stepped over to the door to look through the peephole. The girl on the other side was a little shorter than Hyunjin and dressed much more fancier than her too. Also, she had red hair, whereas Hyunjin's was brown. She looked as though she was talking to someone next her but Jinsoul could not see who it was. 

Jinsoul stepped back. "Yeah, I don't think that's Hyunjin."

*Knock. Knock. Knock.*

"Ah, sorry!" 

Chaewon came running on her bedroom towards the door. She had changed out of her pajamas into a pink sweater and blue jeans, with her hair brushed and not as messy as before. 

"Were you expecting someone?"Jinsoul asked.

Chaewon shrugged and walked up to the door. "I don't think so."

Chaewon looked out the peephole and gasped.

"Aw man, I forgot!" Chaewon exclaimed. "Jiwoo was supposed to visit today. We were supposed to go out together."

"I mean we don't mind." Jinsoul said. "We were going to go meet up with Hyunjin anyway so it works out well." 

"Oh okay, thank you!"

"Actually, this would be a nice way to meet your friend! She sounds nice!" Jungeun said curiously. 

"She is. Her new girlfriend is here too so..."

"That's fun! Let's meet them before we go!"

Chaewon smiled at her enthusiasm and quickly went to unlock and open the door. 

"Hey, Jiwoo!" 

"Chaewon!!" The red head girl exclaimed and practically threw herself onto the blonde, hugging her tightly. "I missed you!"

"Me too!" Chaewon said, pulling away. "It's been so long..."

"I know, baby, and I'm so sorry! But I'm here now and I'm gonna make it up to you!"

Jiwoo looked past Chaewon to see the three other girls standing there. 

"Oh, am I interrupting something?..."

"Oh, no! Their living here for a while. They're hybrids."

Jiwoo looked at the curiously and awed at them.

"Hybrids? I've never met one before... That's so cool!"

Jiwoo turned to Jinsoul, who was standing closest to the door, and held out her hand.

"Hello, I'm Jiwoo! Welcome to Seoul! I hope you enjoy your stay here!"

Jinsoul took her hand and shook it.

"Thank you. We're enjoying this place already."

Jiwoo nodded. "I'm glad!"

Hyejoo analyzed the red head. She was certainly energetic and social but not overly annoying. For some reason though, she felt like she's seen this girl before. Something about her seemed so familiar...

"Oh and my girlfriend is here too! I hope you don't mind..."

"Already told you on the phone that it's fine. Besides I wanna meet here!" Chaewon reassured.

"Great!" Jiwoo looked out the door. "Sooyoung, you can come in!"

The three hybrids turned to look at each with wide eyes.

*Sooyoung?...*

They watched as a black hair female walked in. She was a tall and slightly lean with pale skin. She looked somewhat intimidating but relaxed. 

"Hello, Chaewon. It's so nice to finally meet you." Sooyoung said, shaking Chaewon's hand.

"Nice to meet you!"

Sooyoung gave a small smile before looking at the other females in the room. Chaewon followed her eyes, and noticed that she was looking at them as if she knew them.

"Oh! And these girls are-"

"I know them." 

Hyejoo stood up from the couch when she heard this, looking confused and shocked. They met eyes and Hyejoo could feel her heartbeat quicken and body tense up. She did not know whether she was going to cry, get excited, or scream at the top of her lungs at the girl. Jinsoul walked in front of Sooyoung, blocking her gaze of Hyejoo, and glared at her with crossed arms. Jungeun looked away, unknown what to say, and prepared herself for what's to come. Chaewon and Jiwoo just stood there, quiet and puzzled.

"So, this is where you've been." Jinsoul said, voice strained and clearly did not want to explode with anger. Sooyoung sighed.

"I-"

"You have got a lot of explaining to do."

***

"Hyunjin~"

Heejin began pulling on Hyunjin's arm, trying to get her out of the chair she has been sitting in for the past two hours. Hyunjin tried to shove her off, the hybrid's grip was strong so she just sighed.

"I told you that you have to wait."

"But it's been two hours..." Heejin wined. "And I'm hungry..."

"It's only 8 am. Just wait at least 30 more minutes."

Heejin slammed her hands on the table Hyunjin was working at.

"30 more minutes?? I'll be dead of starvation by then!"

"It's not that serious."

"Not that serious?? Have you forgotten that I am part dragon?? We have huge appetites, you know! I need a lot of food to survive!"

"I don't think being part dragon means you have to whine like a bratty 6 year old."

Heejin scoffed and pouted. "Hey!"

Hyunjin turned her attention back to her laptop and continued typing away. Heejin looked at the screen confusedly. It had a bunch of dates and random locations with notes somewhat explaining it, but the hybrid could not understand.

"What's this?"

"It's a spreadsheet." Hyunjin replied. "It basically allows you to organize information."

"What info do you have to organize?"

"I'm looked up the reported dragon hybrid attacks in Seoul within the last 30 days. The first column has the date, the second has the location, and the third has what occured. I'm trying to find a trend of these events. Maybe then we can find them or at least figure what they're planning."

"I have to admit, that's pretty smart." Heejin complimented. Usually she things the human did pointless, but this was actually very clever.

"Yeah, thanks." Hyunjin said, turning back to her work, making Heejin sigh and walk away.

"Fine, be that way."

The wind hybrid sat down on the couch and picked up the remote. If she was going to have to wait, she might as well watch some television. Where Heejin came from, they did not have many televisions, so she might as well enjoyed it while she was here. She pressed the power button on the remote and the television quickly switched on. When it powered on, the news was playing. 

*"We are reporting to you live from Times Square Mall where it was reported that there was a dragon attack-"*

Hyunjin turned her attention to the television, getting up on out of her chair and coming closer to hear better. 

*"It is reported that hybrids had entered the building, took their dragon form, and began causing havoc. There are firefighters at the scene trying put out the flames and rescue those still stuck inside. No deaths reported so far, but many are injured and are being sent to the hospital. Witnesses say that there were four dragons but could not be identified. Police are trying their best to find these criminals and bring them to justice"*

The two just stood there in absolute shock as the news showed the mall up in flames. Many citizens were running out of the building and firefighters and policemen surrounding the area. It looked frightening and they could fully wrap their head around it.

"Wh- How??" Heejin said in shock.

"This...has never happened before. I mean, we have had attacks but they were usually at a much smaller scale. It's never been as big as this..."

They did not know what to say. All of these innocent people...who would do this?

"We should get the others. We have to head to the sight."

"What are we gonna do?"

"We need to investigate this. This is most unusual of the attacks so clearly it has a meaning. I'm gonna call Jinsoul and tell her to meet us there. Hopefully Chaewon can show her where it is."

Hyunjin grabbed her coat and quickly put it on. In addition, she picked up her duffle bag and cell phone. She handed an additional coat to Heejin, who took it and wore it as well. 

"Sounds like a plan. Let's hurry up."

Hyunjin nodded and picked up her phone to call Jinsoul.

***

"So, let me get this straight. You wanted a "normal life" so you left us without saying anything and moved to Seoul? Then you decided to become an actor and seduce this poor girl because that was somehow so much better than the life you had with us?!" 

Sooyoung glared. "First of all, I didn't seduce her. Secondly, you don't know what I've been through so don't try and act like you do."

Jinsoul clenched her fists. "Yes, I may not know what you've been through, but I do know that the way you've went about handling it! We've had to clean up your mess, you know that??! I can't believe you think you're somehow in the right here!"

The room was very tense. Jinsoul and Sooyoung had been standing in the living room arguing, with Jungeun standing by Jinsoul's side trying to calm her down. Hyejoo sat on the couch, staring blankly at the both of them lost on how to feel. Chaewon and Jiwoo beside her, not knowing if they should step in or not. 

"I'm sorry for what I did! Seriously, I was planning to come back but-"

"When?? It's been almost two fucking years Sooyoung!! Were you actually planning on coming to see us or were you planning on leaving us behind?!"

"Baby, calm down..." Jungeun said, holding her wife's hand. "Let her explain."

"I'm sorry, honey, but what else does she have to explain?! She was being selfish!"

The fauna hybrid sighed. "But,-" 

"Guys!!"

Everyone turned to look at Hyejoo, who had tears in her eyes and voice shaking.

"I can't believe we're fighting over this! Jinsoul, we get it, Sooyoung was a selfish dick, we got it the first time!"

The aqua hybrid opened her mouth, about to say something, but then closed it, completely lost for words.

Hyejoo then turned to Sooyoung. "And you..."

"Look, Hyejoo, I'm-"

"How dare you try to act like the victim! I had to deal with your trashy ass parents coming after us for your disappearance, when all you could've done was tell them! I went through a hard time with my own father, and didn't need yours knocking on our door! I had to move in Jinsoul and Jungeun because I almost got murdered from my dad, and I needed you! You always told me you would be there for me, and then you left!! And you want me to just forgive and forget?? You bastard!"

Sooyoung stood there, completely stunned by what the youngest said. She did not know what to say in response, so just hung her head in defeat. Everyone was silent after that. Hyejoo sat back down, frustrated, and continues crying. Chaewon, despite being in shock, put an arm around Hyejoo to comfort her while Jiwoo just tried to take everything in. The silence was only broken when Jinsoul's cell phone went off. Jinsoul took it out of her pocket to see Hyunjin was calling, and promptly answered.

"Hello?"

*"Jinsoul, I need you and the others to meet me at Times Square Mall now. There's been a massive attack and we need to investigate it."*

"Times Square Mall?" Jiwoo questioned. "That's where my friend works!" 

"Can you take us there?" Jungeun asked.

"Of course! I want to know if she's okay too!"

"Okay, we're on our way." Jinsoul said to Hyunjin. "Just give us a few minutes."

*"Okay, hurry. Heejin and I are heading there now."*

Jinsoul hangs up and sighs. 

"You." Jinsoul pointed to Sooyoung. "We will continue this later." 

"We should probably all go." Jungeun recommended. "Chaewon and Jiwoo know the way there and I don't think you want to leave Sooyoung alone."

Jinsoul analyze the female in question and sighed again. 

"Fine." Jinsoul said before directing her attention to Sooyoung. "But I got my eye on you. You are not leaving our side once. We still have a lot to discuss."

"Okay." Sooyoung said, avoiding eye contact.

"Let's go."

They all headed towards the door, throwing on jackets and walking out. Hyejoo sat for a little longer, still a little shaken up. Chaewon rubbed her hand up and down the hybrid's back.

"Will you be okay?..."

Hyejoo sniffled. "Yeah, yeah. I just need some time. Let's just go."

Chaewon nodded and they both headed out after the others.

***

When the 6 of them got to the mall and looked at it in horror. Firefighters, policemen, and news reporters surrounded the building. The mall itself was not completely burnt down, but clearly had significant damage. Ambulances were also in the area, as nurses were carrying victims in the truck on gurneys. It was pretty horrifying.

"Guys! Over here!"

They all looked towards the voice to see Heejin calling them. They quickly ran over to where Heejin and Hyunjin were standing. 

"What happened?" Chaewon asked, stunned.

"Four dragon hybrids came in and really wrecked the place and attacked some people." Heejin responded. "Completely random- Wait."

Heejin looked past them and gasped when she saw Sooyoung.

"Is that Sooyoung?? What is she doing here?!"

The said girl chuckled awkwardly. "Well..."

"It's not the time right now." Jinsoul butted in. "We will discuss this later."

"Uh- alright."

"Who is Hyunjin talking to?" Chaewon asked.

They all looked at Hyunjin, who was talking to a female in a police uniform. They seemed as if they knew each other. After about a minute, Hyunjin and the other girl turned to them. 

"This is Officer Jung Yerin. She's been a close friend for a long time." 

"Oh, hello ma'am." Chaewon bowed, and shook her hand. 

"Please don't be formal! I'm not much older than you guys! Just call me Yerin!" 

"Oh sure!" 

"Anyway," Hyunjin started. "I was talking to her about what they've found. Apparently, they found a scale of one of the dragons that were there. I was hoping you guys could identify it."

"Uh..." Jinsoul looked at Hyunjin, then back at Yerin. "Are you sure?.."

"Oh! Yeah, I forgot! She knows about you guys and she's cool with it!" 

"Yeah. I know you guys are hybrids." Yerin said with a smile. "And I don't care. I'm not going to tell anyone. We just need to have an idea of who they are."

"Well," Hyejoo spoke up. "If the place caught in fire, then the dragon must be a flame type, which is the same as me." 

"Then can you identify anything about them?"

"Possibly, but I need to see the scale so I can get the scent."

Yerin handed over the clear plastic bag that had the scale inside it. The scale was pretty worthless on its own, since dragon DNA was hard to identify by humans and the scent could only be picked up by other dragons. So if Hyejoo could help, she gladly would.

The flame hybrid opened the bag and sniffed the inside of it. 

"It's a female. Young adult, around 30, give or take a few years. Healthy as well."

Yerin nodded and wrote done everything she said. 

"Oh my god, thank you! This will be a big help! I'll just tell them that this was a witness account, as to not raise suspicion."

Hyejoo gave the policewoman back the evidence and nodded. "No problem."

"What are they gonna do now?" Jungeun asked.

"Well, we're going to look for the perpetrators as soon as possible. We've been having trouble but hopefully with this information we can find them before they do worse damage. This is nothing like we've seen before."

"Good luck Yerin." Hyunjin said, hugging her friend. 

"Thank you Hyunjin. I'll see you all soon!"

Yerin walked back to the rest of the policemen. Everyone stood there, just lost in thoughts. What does all this mean? Is this just the beginning? What was next?

"Hello??"

They looked at Jiwoo, who was frantically trying to call someone on her phone. The phone call went to voicemail. 

"Your friend is not answering?" Jinsoul asked, with Jiwoo sighing in frustration.

"No, I'm so worried! What if she got seriously injured?? Why did this have to happen..."

Tears began to well up in the red head's eyes. Sooyoung looked at Jiwoo with sympathy and brought her in for a hug, with the shorter girl crying into her shoulder.

"She'll be fine..." The older comforted running her fingers through the younger girl's hair.

Hyejoo looked at them and felt bittersweet. On one hand, she was happy that Sooyoung has become more sympathetic with others overtime, instead of ignoring their feelings like before. But she had a bad taste in her mouth to the fact that she was so quick to comfort Jiwoo, when that used to be her. Hyejoo used to be the one who would Sooyoung would be this kind to. She couldn't find herself to keep staring, so she turned away. Chaewon looked at her reaction and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?"

"To be honest, no. But there's nothing much I can do about it."

"Trust me." Chaewon started. "I was the one that Jiwoo cried with. So I'm feeling the jealousy too."

Hyejoo looked at Chaewon and gave a slight chuckle. 

"Well, then let's be jealous together." Hyejoo joked.

"It's better than being alone!" Chaewon said, giggling. "Maybe I can be the one you cried on."

"I think you already were..." Hyejoo noted with an appreciative expression, making the blonde blush. 

"Young ladies, you must clear the crime scene!" the policeman called to them. 

All eight of them walked away from the scene, heading in the direction of Chaewon's home. 

"So, what now?" Heejin began. "We didn't get much info."

"We will when Yerin gets back with any leads. If they find the people who did this, then maybe we'll be one step closer to figuring this out." Hyunjin responded. 

"I hope they can find out who did it." Jinsoul added. "Because there are a lot of people who fit Hyejoo's description. It isn't easy to identify a hybrid."

"If only we could get involved!" Heejin exclaimed. "We'd find them way quicker than the police can!"

"Yeah, but we can't get too involved with the police. They'll ask questions and we can't raise suspicions while you guys are here. Right now, any dragons found, whether good or bad, we will seen in a negative light." Hyunjin said.

"They probably hate our kind right now." Jungeun joined in. "They think all of us are monsters for this. This is why we can never get along..."

"I'm sorry you guys have to go through this." Chaewon sympathized. "I hate how we just discriminate you guys based on a rough past and a few crazy hybrids. But trust me, not all of us are like that." 

"But the majority of us are, though." Hyunjin sighed. "Both sides are still stuck in the past. Even though it's been hundreds of years, we still hate each other over it. We need to move past it, it's been too long."

The rest of the walk home was pretty quiet, as everyone had a lot to think about. When they got to Chaewon's front apartment door, Heejin and Hyunjin said their goodbyes and headed to Hyunjin's apartment, leaving the six of them. They all went inside, where the atmosphere was still tense. Hyejoo watched as everyone practically quiet and avoided speaking to each other. Besides Chaewon, everyone seemed to be angered by something, including herself. She was so busy in her thoughts that she did not notice the two animals at her feet. When she felt nuzzling against her legs, the hybrid looked down to meet the curious eyes of Nari and Bbomi. When she started petting them, she felt her frustrations fade away and started smiling just a bit. Chaewon was lucky to have two caring pets like these. 

"Jinsoul, Jungeun, Hyejoo." 

Everyone looked at Sooyoung, who was biting her lip and avoiding eye contact with them.

"Can we talk for a bit?"

The three of them looked at each other and then back at Sooyoung. 

"Yes, we probably she discuss some things." Jinsoul responded to her then turned to Chaewon. "Do you mind if we talk for a bit in our bedroom?"

"Oh, not at all! You guys go! I'll just be out here with Jiwoo." 

With that, the four hybrids headed to Jinsoul and Jungeun's current bedroom. Hyejoo was not going to lie, she was a little worried this would turn out like the first time they tried to talk. But she was hopeful that they could put this to rest. 

Jinsoul closed the door behind them. Hyejoo sat on the bed, while Jungeun sat beside her. Jinsoul stood close to them both while Sooyoung stood on the opposite side.

"Look," Sooyoung started. "I know I fucked up. I should of told you I was leaving and where I was going. I should of told my parents so they did not have to involve you in our mess. I should of visited instead of acting like I could run away from my problems. In reality, I am a coward. But, I did miss all of you truly and I was just scared..."

"You know what?" Jinsoul started. "You aren't completely in the wrong. You had a rough childhood and you just wanted some freedom. We should have been more understanding of that. We don't hate you, we just missed you so much that we got frustrated." 

"We were all wrong in some ways." Jungeun butted in. "But we need to just understand each other more. I mean, we were very close. All five of us."

"Sometimes, I think we're just a crazy family..." Hyejoo started. "We fight, and we might disagree on some things. But we all just work together so well. I mean we've been through so much and wouldn't trade for anything..."

"We're different, but I like that. It would be boring if I was friends with four other me's" Jungeun joked, making the others chuckle.

"THAT would be terrifying. We would be a group of a bunch of hippies. One is enough."

"Hey!" Jungeun exclaimed, acting offended as she playfully punched Hyejoo in the arm. 

"So..." Sooyoung began.

"Let's just leave this behind us." Jinsoul concurred. "The important thing is that we're all together now." 

They all smiled at each other and nodded in agreement. Their amount of care for each other was way more present than their hostility.

"Thank you guys..." Sooyoung said. "Let's just move forward."

"Finally, I was so over the fighting..." Jungeun breathed out.

"So, one question. Why are you guys here?"

"I'm sure you've heard about all the hybrids who have been harassing the humans." Jinsoul began. "There is an underground organization, or organizations, who are planning something and we want to uncover it. And based on what just happened, they must have something major going on..."

"The four of you guys?"

"The four of us plus Hyunjin."

"Do you guys really think you can do it? I mean, this city is huge and not all hybrids are in on that. Not only that, but if we get too involve than it could all of us in danger."

"If it's not us, then no one else will." Hyejoo retorted. "Most hybrids just want to pretend this isn't happening. And some humans just want to target all hybrids instead of the actual culprits. Tensions are rising right now, and we can't just sit back and watch it happen."

"Even if we just find out who is leading this," Jungeun added. "we could tell the council about this. Most of them are against violence, so if we bring the evidence, they could take action."

"That's the best scenario," Jinsoul said with a sigh.

"You guys shouldn't get involved."

Jinsoul blinked with confusion.

"Why?"

"Because, you guys don't know what you're getting into. You have to stay away from them. You don't know what they're planning."

"Why are you so worried? Do you know something?" Jinsoul asked, glaring at her with suspicion.

"No, but I've come across someone. It's not good idea."

"Who?" 

Sooyoung looked away, avoiding looking at them in the eye. Jinsoul's suspicions grew as she noticed this.

"You said that we're supposed to be moving forward. So, if you truly want to move on, there has to be no secrets. You have to tell us what you know." Jinsoul seriously said.

"Please, Sooyoung..." Hyejoo pleaded. 

Sooyoung looked at the youngest, a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. She thought for a few moments, before shaking her head.

"I'm sorry." 

She walked past all of them towards the bedroom door, opened it and walked out. 

"Sooyoung!" Hyejoo called out, running after her. 

She watched as Sooyoung speedily walked towards the door, going past Chaewon and Jiwoo who looked at her confusedly. 

"Where are you going?" Jiwoo said, worried. 

Sooyoung sighed, but did not turn to look at her girlfriend. 

"I'll see you later. I'm sorry."

And with that, she opened the door and left. Jiwoo was about to follow her, but the door shut before she could. Jinsoul and Jungeun tumbled out of the bedroom and sighed when she noticed she was gone. 

And just like that, the thought of them reconciling after years of being apart all faded away, at least that's what Hyejoo thought. She did not know if she would see her again, but she did not have much hope about it. Clearly whatever she was hiding was too much for her to say. 

"What happened?" Chaewon asked, looking at Hyejoo with concern.

"I...don't even know. We tried to get her to be open, but she shut us down."

"Forget it." Jinsoul said, throwing her hands up in defeat. "I'm over this. If she wants to act like that, then so be it. I'm not going to chase after her when she clearly does not care." 

"Just give her time." Jungeun reassured. "She'll tell us when she's ready. I've got a feeling we'll see her again."

Hyejoo silently hoped so as well. 

"Jiwoo, are you okay?" Jungeun asked.

"Uh, yeah, I think." the red head said, but sounded unsure. 

"Don't worry, sweetheart, she's just stubborn." Jungeun reassured, walking over to Jiwoo and giving her a small side hug. "But she'll come around."

"Are you still going to stay?..." Chaewon asked, looking down fearful.

"Yes, yes of course!" Jiwoo said. "I haven't seen you for months! I'm not gonna let all of this ruin our day!" 

Chaewon cheered up. "Sounds good!"

"Let's all just forget about what happened for now. We can deal with all later, yeah?" Jungeun said, trying to life the mood.

Everyone agreed and decided to spend the rest of the day to just relax and calm down. Chaewon suggested that they should order some pizza and watch movies, which is what they did. Jiwoo and Chaewon got to catch up, while the rest of them picked random movies from the ones the blonde rented. Jungeun begged them to watch romance movies, much to the dismay of Jinsoul and Hyejoo. Soon, the others joined them and they all watched movies together. While Jungeun and Jiwoo were enjoying it, the other three were cringing and mostly ignoring the movies. Later in the afternoon, they finally got to watch something different and decided to watch "The Joker" after Chaewon suggested they would like it. In the middle watching it, Hyejoo and Chaewon somehow lost any space between them while sitting next each other on the carpet. Ten minutes later, the blonde's head ended up on the hybrid's shoulder and the hybrid's arms somehow got around the other's waist. Neither of them said anything since they were both pretty comfortable.

When the movie ended, Hyejoo went to get up to grab a drink from the kitchen. She began pouring the bottle of soda into the cup as Chaewon walked in. 

"Hey," Chaewon said. "Did you enjoy the movie?"

"Yeah, it was really good. I wish we had movies like that in our world." Hyejoo responded, finishing pouring the drink and taking it to her lips for a sip.

"Good!" 

There was an awkward pause.

"So, um, are you feeling any better? You went through a lot today." Chaewon asked.

"Yeah, I guess. Having fun with you guys really helped. I'm still not over what she did, but I'm not stressing about it as much."

"Sooyoung does seem stubborn." 

"She is, ever since I met her." Hyejoo took a another sip. "But she means well. She used to treat me like a little sister, constantly comforting me and giving me good advice. But, I guess time has changed. I do sympathize with her though, her parents were fucked up. They treated her like shit, and it made her become super rebellious. We relate in that way, we both had bad childhoods. But I met Jungeun and Jinsoul, who helped me through my worst times. Sooyoung was always closed off to what she's been through. She's not as strong as she tries to be, and I wish she would realize it. I love her, we all do, but she's just too adamant to let us help."

"Well, it's not easy to open up to what pains you. I think she wants to, but feels like she'll be a burden. Give her time and she will tell. And even if she doesn't, you should support her no matter what."

"You're right... It just sucks she has to be so closed off to me..."

They stood their quietly for a bit, with Hyejoo soon finishing her drink. When she sat the cup down, she noticed that Chaewon looked at her nervously, as if she was contemplating whether she wanted to do something. Finally, she looked at her in the eyes.

"Can I try something?..." she asked.

Hyejoo looked at her curiously, but ended up agreeing.

"Sure?.."

Chaewon stepped closer and took both of Hyejoo's hands into her own, intertwining their fingers. Immediately, that familiar feeling was back and that tingling feeling resurfaced, with it starting from tips of their connect fingers then traveling through their arms to then feeling it throughout their entire body. It felt like there was a fire being lit up inside them. Like last time, it was strange but somewhat comforting. They looked at each other.

"Do you...feel that?" Chaewon asked.

Hyejoo nodded. "Yeah..."

"What does this mean? I've never felt this before. Have you?"

"No." The hybrid responded, shaking her head.

"Strange..."

The more they kept holding hands, the more underlying warmth they felt got hotter. 

"So this only happens when we touch?" Hyejoo asked, staring at her hands.

"I guess. I remember when you were hugging me when I was sleeping I felt really warm, but I thought it was just a dream. It was a little warmer than this."

"So the more intimate, the hotter it gets..."

Hyejoo did not know what came over to do this, but before she realized it, she has leaned in to the other girl's forehead and gave it a lingering kiss. The black haired girl heard the blonde gasp, as if she suddenly felt something. Soon, she must have felt what Chaewon was feeling because the heat doubled in strength. It hit her so suddenly that she quickly pulled back.

"That-" 

"It felt...really hot. But, strangely good."

"Yeah," Hyejoo said, blushing. "Sorry for just..."

"No, you're fine. I liked it." Chaewon reassured, blushing but having a soft smile on her face. 

"Guys, are you okay?"

Both girls got startled by Jiwoo walking into the kitchen. They both quickly pulled away and stood there awkwardly. Jiwoo looked at them, puzzled.

"What were you guys doing?"

"Oh, uh, just getting a drink!" Chaewon quickly responded. "We were just going back!"

Chaewon held Hyejoo's hand and pulled them out of the kitchen, smiling sheepishly. The red haired girl watched them leave, still confused but shrugged. 

Jiwoo was about to follow them, but soon felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. She pulled it out, saw the caller ID and answered it without no hesitation.

"Babe? Are you okay? Where'd you go??"

*"Don't worry, baby, I'm okay. I just needed some time to myself. I'm at a friend's house right now."*

"Oh... Well are you coming back?"

"I don't want to see the others right now. So, I'll come by the hotel after you leave. I've so got to take care of some things first."

"Okay, as long you're coming back. I'll leave around 7 pm, is that fine?"

"Sure, baby. I'll meet you there. See you. I love you."

Jiwoo smiled a little before answering. "I love you too..." 

She hanged up and stood there in the kitchen, smiling stupidly. 

***

Kahei walked hurriedly down the barely occupied sidewalks. She did not know why she had agreed to go to that staff party. She never was a social person and mostly liked to stay cuddled up in her home with a good book. But, when one of her teacher friends asked her to join them for once, she did not have the courage to turn it down. Kahei knew it was a problem that she had to get control over before she becomes a pushover, but she just did not know how. 

Now she has to walk home in the dark, which was not ideal considering the attacks lately. She should have left earlier, but she did not want to seem inconsiderate for their hard work of putting the event together, even though she knew of the long distance. She just hoped that whatever was out there was not planning on hurting her.

*Almost there* she thought, starting to pick up the pace when she noticed that absolutely know one was around. Everyone was smart enough to be home before dark, except her. Fear set in when suddenly everything got quiet.

*Next time, I'm not going to agree to go...*

Suddenly, Kahei thought she heard footsteps behind her. Yes, it was a public sidewalk, but it just gave her a weird feeling. The quicker she walked, the quicker the steps behind her were. The pink haired girl did not have the grit to turn around and see who it was.

All she knew was that she had to run. So she did.

She just kept running without a second thought. Her apartment was close, just a little more distance. Kahei thought she could make it. But then, her fears were realized when somebody grabbed her and put a hand over her mouth. 

She tried to run away, but the person's grip around her shoulders was strong. She tried to scream, but the hand on her mouth caused it to muffle. Eventually, she just froze up.

Then she a sudden shock of pain as she felt something sharp pierce through the part of shoulder that was exposed. Kahei was screaming and crying from the pain, and tried running away or shaking them off. But the person responded by biting deeper into the shoulder and lowly growling. 

Was she going to die? It felt like it as the pain got more intense. It stays like this for a half a minute more before the person pulled their sharp teeth out of her shoulder. The person licked that part of her neck before letting go off the grip they had on Kahei. 

All of a sudden, Kahei's head felt dizzy and her body got weak. Her body gave way and just fell to the sidewalk, clutching herself in pain. She began shiver as her insides felt as cold as ice. It really did feel like she was going to die as her vision became cloudy. 

Kahei became so weak that she began to close her eyes, consciousness slipping away. Before she fully fell asleep, she saw someone running up to her, although she could not see the face. 

Even when they were close, her vision was so blurry she could make out the face. They were saying some things, but the voice sounded so distant.

Eventually, the pain took over her and everything went black.

***

"Are you heading back to the hotel?"

Jiwoo nodded at Chaewon.

"Yeah, it's getting late! Plus, I have to head to company meeting in the morning!"

"Stay safe! Also hopefully your friend is okay." Jungeun said, hugging Jiwoo. 

"Thanks! You guys were fun to hang out with!"

*KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.*

Suddenly, there was banging on the door. Jiwoo, being closest to the door, looked out the peephole. 

"It's Sooyoung!..."

"Ugh, what does she want?" Jinsoul groaned.

"... and.... she's carrying some girl...."

The five of them looked at each other then Jiwoo opened the door. Sooyoung came rushing in, carrying a pink haired girl in her arms. The girl looked almost lifeless, her skin extremely pale. There was a part of her shoulder that was light blue and looked covered in ice. 

Jungeun was the first to react, rushing over and analyzing the girl's condition. She looked at Sooyoung, terrified.

"What h-happened?.." she asked, voice slightly quivering.

Panting, Sooyoung tried to collect herself before saying:

"I don't know... But..." her eyes began to well up with tears, "we have to help her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was chapter two! We're leaving off on a little cliff hanger! We fully met Sooyoung and Jiwoo, and Kahei somewhat, with a whole lot of drama. What do you think Sooyoung is hiding? Also, we have Chaewon and Hyejoo getting closer and figuring what's going on between them. What do you think? Next chapter, will be the full introduction of Kahei and two more members of Loona, as well as a little more drama but also some wholesomeness. 
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!  
> Follow my Instagram: @gowhyejuu


	3. 𝒊 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝒊 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.  
> i can see your pain.  
> i can hear your cries.  
> i can smell you from a distance.  
> i can taste you even when i didn't want it.  
> i can touch you before we come in contact.  
> 𝒊 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"She's in bad condition."

Jungeun placed a head near her chest to listen to the girl's heartbeat. She pulled away and checked our her shoulder. It is was extremely blue and as she touched that part she quickly pulled her finger away as it stung from how cold it was. Jungeun then looked at the girl's face. She did not look like she was in too much pain, just peacefully sleeping on the couch with a somewhat relaxed expression. Every now and then, the girl would wince, but never made a sound. 

"She is not too bad though. Luckily, the blue has not spread throughout her body, so she can be saved. She is in stable condition, but will not hold up long. We need to act fast."

"What's wrong with her?..." Chaewon asked, fearful. 

"She was bitten by a frost dragon. To any dragon, it is pretty harmless. But to a human, it is fatal. The bite injects venom in the bloodstream, and slowly freezes the host inside and out. In 3 hours, the victim will become completely frozen and, as a result, die." 

"Okay, but how do we save her??" Sooyoung spoke up.

"I can't do it on my own. I can slow down the effects but can't cure her."

"Well, there's gotta be something we can do!" Hyejoo shouted out.

Jungeun pondered for moment until her eyes widened in realization.

"There is!"

Jungeun got up from her crouched position.

"I have a friend who is a frost hybrid! She knows how to heal these kinds of bites! If we can get to her, she can save her!"

"Well what are we waiting for?? Let's go!" Sooyoung said, hopeful.

"Wait a minute! We can't all go. And that includes you." Jungeun said, pointing at the eager girl. 

"Why??"

"This friend isn't well with new people. She gets panic attacks when she's around too many new people at once. Me, Jinsoul, Hyejoo and Heejin will go and bring Kahei by ourselves. You guys stay here."

"But-"

"Babe, she will be fine." Jiwoo said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You did your part by bringing her here. Now let them save her. Besides, it's late and we have a meeting tomorrow with the company. Let's go get some sleep and check on her in the morning, yeah?"

Sooyoung sighed but gave in. 

"Fine," she then turned to Jungeun. "Please keep her safe."

"We will. Trust me."

Sooyoung nodded and followed Jiwoo to the door. She turned back, looking at the girl one last time, and walked out, with Chaewon closing the door behind her.

"Who was that?" Jiwoo asked, when they both stepped out. "Why do you care so much like you know her?"

Sooyoung looked Jiwoo in the eye and sighed. 

"She's someone that I have too many regrets about."

***

"Before we go, I'm going to use some of healing spells to hinder the process and give us some time."

Jungeun placed the palm of her hand on the bite and pressed down lightly. The injured girl winced in her sleep, quietly moaning in pain at the action. When the fauna hybrid pulled her hand away, the girl relaxed and stirred back to sleep.

"There, that should give us more time."

There was a knock on the door, with Chaewon quickly opening the door.

"Are we ready to go?" Heejin said, quickly walking in. "I told Hyunjin about where we are in case we need her help."

"Yeah, we should leave now." Jinsoul responded. "Chaewon, we'll be back."

"Okay, good luck you guys." Chaewon said.

The blonde met eyes with Hyejoo, who abruptly looked away. 

"Be safe." Chaewon then said, saying everyone but moreso aiming at the flame hybrid, who gave her a small grin.

Hyejoo put on a heavy coat, along with the others, and went over to pick up the girl in her arms without much effort.

"Can you carry her?" Chaewon worried.

"Yeah, remember I'm a dragon. We can carry a lot of weight." Hyejoo slightly joked. 

"Let's head out now." Jinsoul stated.

"Before it's too late."

***

"I just got a text from my friend, you know the one I though was dead? And turns out she was off today!"

"Oh, nice. Glad she's okay." Sooyoung said, starting to take off her clothes. 

"Yeah, me too!" Jiwoo said happily, setting her phone down.

The couple were quiet for five minutes, before the Jiwoo spoke again, looking at Sooyoung intently.

"So, you're a hybrid?..." 

Sooyoung put on a casual shirt. "Yeah."

"I get why you didn't tell me, I mean I'd be scared too considering your situation." Jiwoo said, taking off her jacket and folding it over the chair next to their bed. "But, it's just shocking."

The black haired girl hummed in response while getting a pair of sweatpants out of her luggage. 

"Were you planning on telling me?.."

"I was," Sooyoung started. "I just didn't know when. You are nice, and I was sure you'd understand. But I wanted to make sure I could trust you."

"Do you trust me now?"

The older turned around and looked at her gratefully. "Yeah, I do."

Jiwoo smiled brightly. "So then will you tell me everything?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Sooyoung said, half mindedly.

But Jiwoo did not hear the nonchalant way she said it, so she took it to heart and her smile grew. She excitedly changed into her penguin pajamas and snuggled into bed. 

Sooyoung put on her sweatpants and joined Jiwoo in the bed, get comfortable under the covers. The red head turned to face her, giggling like a little girl. If she was not so damn cute, Sooyoung would have been annoyed by how Jiwoo was paying this much attention towards her. But, in some ways, she enjoyed having someone that could give her any slight reason to be happy. Especially considering the...

*circumstances*

"So, will you tell me now?" Jiwoo said excitedly. 

"What?"

"You said you had some secrets! I wanna know!"

"Babe, let's turn off the lights and go to sleep. Now is not the time."

Jiwoo pouted but complied with her request and turned around to turn off the lamp. When she turned back, Sooyoung's eyes were closed, but she could tell she was not sleeping, just trying to avoid her.

"Sooyoungie~" 

"Mm.. I'm sleeping."

"Please, I want to know!..." The younger whined.

"Not tonight."

"Please, I told you all of mine though!... Like the time in 5th grade I spilled juice in a girl's bag and blamed it on another girl, which made them to fight for no reason. Or-"

"I know, you've told me a lot of things. But I'm tired, please just go to sleep."

"You're so unfair~" Jiwoo continued to whine. "Just tell me at least one."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Come on, can you just-"

Jiwoo was shut up by a forceful set of lips suddenly being placed against her own. Sooyoung moved her lips against her girlfriend, drowning out her words. She responded by kissing her back, which led to start making out. The older carefully pushed the younger on her back and got up on top of her, not breaking the kiss once. Sooyoung slipped her tongue into Jiwoo's mouth, making them both softly moan. They kept at it for about five minutes, before Sooyoung pulled back, still inches away from the girl's face.

"You don't know how to shut up, do you?" The hybrid said, her voice deeper and somewhat seductive.

Jiwoo giggled teasingly. "Nope, why should I when I can get you like this?"

"God, I hate you."

"You love me~"

Sooyoung sighed but chuckled at her cuteness. 

"Yeah, sure."

***

The four hybrids have been walking around for about thirty minutes, trying to find the place they needed to be. Gelum, which was the dimension of the frost dragons, was very bare. Everywhere was covered in snow. The lived in a forest setting, similar to Jungeun and Heejin's homes, but was a lot less populated. Every cottage they came across were pretty spread out. No one was outside, no laughter, barely any sounds besides the strong wind blowing. It seemed like a ghost town.

"We're almost there!" Jungeun yelled out, trying to not let her voice be drowned out by the winds. "Hyejoo, how's the girl doing??"

"She's fine but," Hyejoo began. "she's getting more blue!!"

Over the course of their journey, the girl's body had more patches of blue, including on her arms, cheeks, and legs.

"Okay, We'll get there soon!"

"Hopefully, because I don't know if I can stand these cold temperatures!"

Being a flame type, it makes it hard to stand cold temperatures. It can cause their body to weaken and slowly shut down if they stay in the environment for a long period of time.

Eventually, they made to a small cottage surrounded by a bunch of dead trees. This place was covered in moss and looked as though no one has been here in years. 

"Are you sure this is the place??" Heejin asked, skeptical by how the place looked.

"Yes, I'm sure! She should be here too!"

"Let's go then!!"

They walked up to the front door and Jungeun knocked loudly on the door.

"Haseul!! It's me, Jungeun! Are you there??"

There was no answer for a good minute. At first, they began to worry for the worst. But, they did not have to worry for long when they heard the door being unlocked. The door cracked open slightly, with a pair of eyes looking at them.

"Jungeun?... Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me. And Jinsoul, Hyejoo, and Heejin. We need your help. There is this girl who got bitten by a frost dragon and is inching closer to death. Can you help her?..."

Haseul pondered and her eyes trailed down to the girl in Hyejoo's arms. She felt pity for her as she saw how lifeless she looked. With that, she fully opened the door. 

The others was in awe as they finally saw their friend after years. Her brown hair was longer than they remember, and was very messy. She wore a long plain flowy dress with long sleeves that covered her whole arms and legs. Her face was bare and slightly flushed. But, overall, she was the same as they once knew her. 

"Come in quickly." 

***

"Lay her down gently on the couch over there and place a pillow under her head."

Hyejoo did as Haseul commanded and took the unconscious girl to the couch. Carefully she laid her down and took one of the pillows nearby to place it under her head. 

"Do we still have time to save her?" Jungeun asked with concern.

"Minimal time, but it can be done. Only parts of her body are blue, so that signals that the body has not fully succumbed to the effects."

Haseul went over to her cabinet and starting searching for certain things. She pulled out a couple of jars with unknown substances liquid inside, as well a few oils and herbs. With the addition of a small bowl, she brings it over to the table that the others were standing near. The frost hybrid sets the bowl down and takes one of the unknown substances to pour into the bowl. She poured about 3 cups of this pink liquid, and set it aside. She drop a few flakes of holy basil, as a little garlic. After adding more materials, Haseul began to stir. The liquid turned from a pink to a white color after a few minutes. After that was done, the hybrid went back to the cabinet and pulled out a vial of black liquid and a syringe. She opens the vial and puts the tip of the syringe in it. Haseul slowly pulls back the plunge, filling the syringe with 1 cc of the medicine. 

"Where did you find her?" Haseul asked, carrying the bowl and syringe to the unconscious girl, with the others following.

"We were in the Earth dimension, Seoul to be exact. But, we don't the exact location since someone else found her." Jinsoul responds and the frost hybrid hummed in understanding.

"Earth? Why were you there?"

"Long story..."

Haseul crouched in front of the couch where the girl lay. She takes a look at the icy part of her shoulder and began feeling around the area. She takes the syringe and sticks the needle into that park of the shoulder. The medicine was injected into the bloodstream. When it finished, she turned to Hyejoo.

"Can you get the bandages? It's in the bottom drawer in the kitchen."

Hyejoo nodded and went over to the location and pulled out a box of bandages. She came back and handed it over the Haseul.

"Thank you."

Haseul pulled out the needle out of her neck and put a bandage over that area. The reaction was immediate, as the girl began shivering and stirring around in her sleep. 

"Is she okay?.." Hyejoo worried.

"Yes, this is an expected reaction. The medicine will kill the venom in her bloodstream and stop the process. She will wake up in a few minutes once the medicine fully takes effect. Then she will drink this," Haseul stood and held up the bowl. "which will give her some strength as her body is already weakened."

"Thank you, Haseul." Jinsoul said, smiling gratefully.

"Sure." Haseul quietly said. "I'm happy to help."

"We missed you." Jungeun said, about to pull the other into a hug. Before she does, the frost hybrid jerked back, avoiding the fauna hybrid's advances. 

"Y-Yeah..." Haseul stutters, shying away. 

Jungeun frowns and steps back.

"Oh, right. Sorry love..."

"I-It's okay..." 

All of a sudden, there was a loud gasp and the girl promptly sat up. She looked around frantically until she noticed the five girls standing near her. The pink haired girl stared at them scared and confused.

"Wh-Who are you?? Where am I?" 

"Calm down. I'm Jungeun." The fauna said softly, trying not to scare the girl. "We're here to help you. What's your name?"

"Kahei.." she answered nervously. 

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"I...was walking. And someone grabbed me and I felt sharp pain in my shoulder... Then I felt weak and... that's it...."

"How do you feel?"

"Tired and kinda cold.... and this part kind of hurts..." Kahei said, rubbing the sore part of her shoulder. She quickly retracted her hand when she felt how cold it was. "What happened to me?"

"It's hard to explain but to keep it brief, you were bitten by a certain dragon, which injected your body with a venom that could have frozen you to death." 

Kahei's eyes widened in disbelief. 

"A dragon?... So a hybrid bit me?... And you guys know that how?..."

"We're hybrids." Jinsoul responded bluntly. 

Kahei looked at everyone one by one, partly shocked. She tenses in her seat from the fear.

"A-And how do I know you guys did not do anything to me??" 

"Listen sweetheart." Heejin butted in. "If we actually wanted to kill you, I could just transform and bite your head off."

"A-And, you don't want to?...."

"Nope, as long as you don't try to kill me first." Heejin chuckled. "Trust me, you're fine. We only wanted to save you. I'm Heejin, by the way."

"And I'm Jinsoul" the aqua hybrid said. "And this is Hyejoo and Haseul."

For some reason, that makes Kahei a little less scared. She started to trust them a little, if it was true that they were helping her. They did not seem intimidating or dangerous. 

"Drink this."

Haseul lowered the bowl to Kahei for her to take. 

"It will help you heal." 

"Oh, uh, thank you..." Kahei looked up at her gratefully, smiling. 

The frost hybrid avoided eye contact with the girl, nodded and turning nervously. Kahei was confused at first, but did not want to question it. They did not know each other after all, so maybe she was just shy. Instead she brought the bowl to her lips and began drinking it. It was bitter and strong in taste, but overall not bad.

"Do you know who Sooyoung is?" Hyejoo asked, as Kahei brought the small bowl away from her lips. 

"Uh, no. Why?"

"Well, she was the one who brought you to us. She seemed pretty concerned, like you know each other."

"I have never met a Sooyoung, sorry." Kahei apologized. 

"Don't worry about it. That girl is crazy anyway." Jinsoul said, with slight resentment in her voice. 

"Do you still feel weak?" Jungeun asked. 

"Yeah, a little shaky. My legs hurt a bit and my head is dizzy. It's like there's a weight on me."

"Just lay back and sleep. It's late so we'll take you home in the morning."

"Wait, where am I?"

"Gelum, the frost dragon dimension. This is Haseul's home."

"Um, no dragon would come after me, right?"

"Well, as long as they don't know you're human." Heejin responded, chuckling. "So, yeah, we better leave early in the morning."

"Okay, I guess... Just as long as I can get home on time. I need to get to work in the morning."

"Um... I don't think you can..." Haseul spoke up, quietly. "You're still going to feel this way for at least a week. And even after that, you still need to take medicine for about a month to ensure the venom fully dissipated."

"Oh..." Kahei said in understanding. "I guess I can take call in sick..."

"Can we all stay here for the night?" Hyejoo questioned. 

"I don't have any beds beside my own but I do have extra pillows and blankets."

"We can just sleep here on the living room floor. It's only for tonight. Kahei can just sleep on the couch." Jinsoul concluded. "I'll text Chaewon to tell her that we're sleeping here overnight. We'll leave at 5 am."

"Sounds like a plan! It's almost 10 pm, I'm tired." Heejin exclaimed, with a yawn following.

With that, Haseul gave all of them a blanket and pillow so they can head off to sleep. Heejin was the first one to doze off, with Hyejoo soon after, laying next to her. Jinsoul and Jungeun laid under the same blanket, cuddling with each other and deep in slumber. Haseul was already up in her room, leaving Kahei the only one awake.

The pink haired girl felt a little uneasy. She was in an unfamiliar place with these girls she's never met. On top of that, she almost died a few hours ago. So instead of sleeping, she just stared at the ceiling deep in thought. She knew hybrids existed, of course. The current events proved that quite well. However, Kahei never thought in a million years she would be in a hybrid's home and sleeping next to some as well. She does not hate them or have resentment, just a little fearful to what they are capable of. Although, something told her to trust these dragons. Besides, it seems as though they were making an effort at saving her so Kahei tried to suppress that fear for now.

After a few minutes, Kahei heard something clattering coming from the kitchen. It startled her at first, sitting up from the couch to see who it was. She then relaxed when she saw Haseul, getting a cup from the cupboard. Haseul also took out a bag of something she could not see from afar. When she turned around, the two of them met eyes, prompting them to both look away shyly. 

Kahei decided to leave her be and laid back down to sleep. She listened for a while as Haseul continued to work. Eventually, the noise stopped so the pink haired girl thought that she had went back to her room. But then she heard footsteps nearby and looked in front of her to see the frost hybrid walking up to her with two teacups in her hands. When Haseul reached Kahei, she held out one of the cups. 

"Is this for me to drink?"

Haseul nodded with a nervous expression and Kahei promptly took the cup out of her hand. She brought the drink to her lips and took a couple sips. It tasted really sweet but overall really warm and soothing. 

"What kind of tea is it?"

"Chamomile."

"Oh, I've never tried it before. Thank you!"

Haseul nodded. "It's fine. It will help you sleep as well." 

"Ah, yeah it was hard for me to sleep anyway."

"Yeah, I noticed. I usually can't sleep either."

Kahei hummed in understanding and took a couple more sips. 

"Do you feel okay?" Haseul voiced with concern. "Do you feel cold or have any pain?"

"I mean, I'm still weak and lightheaded but I'm not hurting. I am a little cold though."

"Do you want another blanket?"

"No, don't worry! I'm fine!" Kahei said. "You already did a lot and I am very grateful. I just need time to rest."

Haseul stared at Kahei, looking for the words to say next and but instead sighed and turned away.

"Okay... I'll just leave you to it. Sorry for bothering you."

Before Kahei could say anything else, Haseul walked away to head to her room. Kahei sat there puzzled by the way the hybrid left so quickly. Maybe she was embarrassed or awkward. Either way, Kahei felt something off about her but not in a frightening way. She just seemed distant and like she herself was feared of something. But, it was not her place to question since they literally just met. So she decided not to pry and just finish her tea so she can try to sleep.

Haseul was right. As she finished her tea, Kahei felt a lot more relaxed. So when she snuggled into her blanket and laid down, sleep soon succumbed her and she dozed off.

***

"I'm coming with you guys."

The others jerked their head towards the frost hybrid in shock.

"Are you sure?" Jungeun questioned. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to. I can take care of her."

"Yeah, and I don't think the human world is..." Heejin paused, trying to find the right word. "... good for you."

"I am sure." Haseul reaffirmed. "I should take care of Kahei and make sure her condition does not get worse. I know the most about the condition, being a frost dragon myself, so I should be the one to do this."

"I mean , I don't mind." Kahei said with a soft smile. "She can just live with me while I get better."

"That's thoughtful of you but-" Jinsoul started. "Haseul, I don't know if-"

"Trust me, I am okay." The frost hybrid said, cutting her off and the aqua hybrid sighed.

"Fine, it's ultimately up to you. Just don't push yourself." Jinsoul gave in, but still had worry.

"Thank you, Jinsoul. I will take care of myself as well as Kahei." 

As Haseul went to grab some things, the fauna hybrid pulled Kahei aside. 

"Listen, before we go, we need you to know something." Jungeun started, looking the human seriously in the eyes. "Haseul is...someone special. She is a sweetheart but does not know how to communicate well. She doesn't want to seem like a burden so she tries to not bother anyone. She might seem pretty vague with the things she says. She also might do things that are a bit....odd to say the least. But, she means well, trust me."

Kahei looked at their concerned facial expressions and immediately understood. She did not fully know what they were hinting at but she had a good idea. But she did not want to bring it up with them so stayed quiet and nodded.

"I get it. I don't judge, she is kind-hearted and clearly cares so I believe you. I will keep that in mind. It's only for a month, it's fine!"

"Thank you, Kahei." Jungeun said in appreciation. "Believe me, you'll love her." 

"Alright, I am ready." Haseul declared, coming out of her room with a small carry-on bag. 

"Good, let's hurry for anyone spots Kahei and questions her." Hyejoo stated, walking towards the front door with the others following. 

***

Chaewon put foil over the plates of food. She decided to make pancakes and scrambled eggs for breakfast and made extra for when the others got back. It was early, it was not even 6 am, but the blonde had another strange dream. It was not the same as the last one since no one spoke. However, it had included the same valley as last time, but it was on fire. While the last time had a soothing vibe, this one was much more alarming. She could not move in this dream, and that led to her feeling trapped. Chaewon has woken up sweating and in a panic, frantically looking around. She could not go back to sleep, so she decided to just get ready for the day early. She had to go back to work today, although she did not have to leave until 8 am. But the blonde silently wished she could get a bit more shut-eye before then.

Chaewon looked over at her two pets and smiled softly when she saw how peacefully they slept. She wished she could sleep as easily as they could but these past two nights have made it difficult. Ultimately, she just gave up trying and accepted that this will happen often. The blonde just sat down and began eating her breakfast. As she ate quietly, she heard a knock on the door and speedily reacted to opening the door. 

"Yerim?"

"Hey! How's it going?" the purple haired girl said cheerfully, walking into the apartment. She was the same height as the blonde but was slightly leaner. She wore a pastel purple sweater and a short cream colored skirt, with a complimentary beret with the same color as the skirt. She held a bag in her right hand and a sketchbook in her left.

"Good but," Chaewon started. "why are you here so early?"

"Ah, no reason! I just...wanted to talk!" 

"Talk? About what? And this early in the morning?"

Yerim chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, sorry! I just wanted to say it before I chicken out."

"No, it's okay! Come and sit."

Yerim nodded and shuffled over to the couch with Chaewon following after shutting the door. When they sat, the younger thought for a moment before looking at the older nervously.

"Have you been talking with Yeojin lately?"

"Uh, no. Not in at least a week." Chaewon responded. "Why?"

"Well, it might be stupid but..." Yerim bit her lip. "I think Yeojin is interested in someone else..."

"What, how would you think that?" Chaewon asked, taken aback. Yerim and Yeojin have always been close, they were inseparable and practically soulmates. In addition, it was no secret that Yerim liked the other a lot, with Yeojin being the only one not being able to get the hint. But even the latter clinged on to the former like she felt the same, but never expressed it to anyone. Yeojin was only ever this way with Yerim, so this was very odd.

"I think she's avoiding me..." 

"What makes you think that?"

"Since we've been living together, she's seemed to be a little distant, like she's nervous about something. Then she's always with her friends, more than usual. I don't know, I can't tell if it's just me or not." Yerim sighed.

"I don't think she's avoiding you, she loves you but she doesn't have to hang out with you all the time. Plus, she's busy getting used to her new job, just give her time."

"I guess you're right but I don't know. It just seems strange to me."

"Well, I don't know much about this sort of thing but how about just talking it out? She'll understand how you feel if you just say it and maybe it'll turn out that it was all in your head." Chaewon suggested, putting a supported hand on her frustrated friend's shoulder. "And, hey, maybe you can confess to her too!"

"Nah, I don't think I can." Yerim chuckled. "But maybe soon!"

"Ya, you got to stop postponing! This is the perfect opportunity to ask! You guys are living together too!"

"I appreciate your encouragement but I'm too nervous to do it! I mean, what if she decides to move out because she doesn't feel the same? Or stays away more often because of my confession??"

"I have a feeling that won't happen. Trust me, she likes you too!" 

The sound of someone knocking at the door interrupted them and the older speedily responded by opening the door. Now if only she would have been quick to prevent the next moments.

"We're back! Sorry for taking a while, Gelum is a pretty big place and frost dragons are hostile towards humans so we had travel carefully for almost an hour! But, Kahei's fine and the frost bite effects are starting to subside! Haseul is also-"

Chaewon put a hand over Jungeun's mouth to stop her from saying one more word. The fauna looked at her confused and but then hybrids looked inside the apartment to Yerim sitting there, close enough to hear every word.

"Oh..." Jungeun sheepishly said when Chaewon pulled her hand away. "Whoops."

"Kahei?" Yerim asked, worriedly. "What happened to her? And what frost bite?"

"Uh," Chaewon started. "just ignore her-"

"Also, frost dragons? Are you guys hybrids? Chaewon, did you know anything about this??"

"Uh..."

"Great job, genius." Heejin said, sarcastically. "So much for not letting people know we're hybrids, huh?"

"Hey, I didn't know she was there!"

"Chaewon, do you know these guys??" Yerim got up and visibly tensed. 

"Uh, yeah. They're living here for a while..."

"Did you know they are..."

"Yeah, Hyunjin brought them here to help with current issues about the dragon attacks. They're good, don't worry."

"Anyway, can we get inside, it's kind of cold put here?" Heejin said, slightly shivering.

***

"So, how you guys transform?"

Heejin groaned. "Can you stop asking so many questions?"

"But, I want to know!" Yerim whined. "I've never met a hybrid before!"

"Can you just go back to being scared of us?" Jinsoul said in annoyance, trying to eat her breakfast with Jungeun. 

"Nah, if Chaewon trusts you, then I do too! Plus, you guys don't look scary!" 

"Really?..." 

Yerim turned to Heejin and slightly jumped when she saw her with sharp teeth showing and eyes glowing bright purple and pupil shrunken to slits. It was supposed to be terrifying, but Yerim seemed mostly unbothered and pinched the wind hybrid's cheeks.

"Aw, you're so cute! Like I said, not scary!"

"I'm not cute!" Heejin protested, "I could kill you in a second, you know!"

"Yeah, but you wouldn't! You're like a puppy!" Yerim cooed, placing her hand on top of the older female's head to pet her. Heejin groaned once more.

"Well, at least she's taking it well and isn't afraid of us." Jungeun said, feeding Jinsoul a bite of her pancakes. 

"Your friends seem really cool about us." Hyejoo noted. 

"They're really accepting people." Chaewon said. 

"Well, it works out well for us because at least we know who to trust." the flame hybrid said with a smile.

"So, back to before," Yerim began, "Kahei is okay right?"

"Yeah, don't worry sweetheart." Jungeun reassured. "She's home and safe. It will take her a while to fully recover so Haseul, out friend and frost hybrid, will watch over her. You have nothing to worry about."

"We have to go talk with Hyunjin about what happened and figure out what to do next." Jinsoul declared. "This is getting much worse. We need to act before someone else gets hurt."

"Yeah, we should." the youngest agreed before turning to Yerim with a question. "So, Yerim, how do you know Kahei?"

"Oh, I used to work with her." Yerim responded. "She's a teacher for second graders and I used to be a class assistant as a side job while I finished high school."

"Do you happen to know Ha Sooyoung?"

"Mm, yeah I guess. I know she's Jiwoo's girlfriend and met her once before they started dating. We went out for drinks and we talked for a bit. She's a little odd but is really cool."

"Does Kahei know her? Or, has Sooyoung ever mentioned Kahei?"

"I don't think Kahei knows her, no. Sooyoung has never mentioned her either. Why?"

"No reason, don't worry about it!" 

"That girl..." Jinsoul said spitefully under her breath. "So weird..."

Hyejoo, Jinsoul, Jungeun and Chaewon finished their food soon after and got ready to head back out again.

"Thanks for the food, Chaewon. You didn't have to do that." Hyejoo thanked when they were alone in the kitchen.

Chaewon blushed. "Ah, it's no big deal. I figured you guys would be hungry when you got back. Besides, I couldn't go back to sleep again so..."

"Again?" Hyejoo asked with concern. "Same dream?"

"Same place, but instead of that weird voice, everything was on fire."

The hybrid sighed. "Why are you having these dreams?"

"I wish I knew, but I don't know. Maybe it's trying to say something."

"Like a vision?"

"Mhm."

Chaewon could be on to something. They only began to appear after they came here, after being absent for over a decade. Maybe they were trying to them something, but neither of them were sure what it was. 

"You should try and sleep." Hyejoo suggested. "Two nights with little sleep isn't good."

"I wish, but I better get ready for work. I have to leave in an hour."

"Okay, but as soon as you're done, come home so you can sleep early, okay?"

The older was slightly taken aback by how serious the younger was. Her tone made it sound like what she said was demanding her instead of suggesting. But Chaewon strangely felt protected by how Hyejoo was worrying about her. It was a nice feeling.

"Yeah, I will, promise." The blonde confirmed, making the black haired female smile in relief.

"Good." 

Hyejoo did not think twice before placing a soft kiss on the other's cheek. It felt so normal and right, as if she just had to it. Chaewon blushed and smiled shyly, both from the action and the warmth that tingled through her body. 

"Let's go meet the others, yeah?" Hyejoo said gently, holding Chaewon's hand in her own and making the latter's face become more red. 

"Y-Yeah..."

When they joined the others, they were waiting their patiently and immediately turned to them with puzzled expressions.

"Is Chaewonie okay?" Yerim asked, noticing how red the blonde's face was.

"Yeah, just tired. She didn't sleep well these past nights and it's catching up with her." Hyejoo answered for her.

"Aw, that sucks! I'm sorry Chaewon!"

"I-It isn't your fault. Don't worry." Chaewon said, waving of her friend's concern. But the married couple did not buy it, noticing the glances the two shared and their intertwined fingers. They kept their mouth shut, though, and decided to tease Hyejoo about later while they walked to Hyunjin's apartment. 

"Well, here we go again." Jungeun joked. "When we get back, I'm definitely taking a nap. All this traveling is getting tiring."

"Agreed." Jinsoul said, "let's go Hee...jin?"

All of their attention turned to the couch, where Yerim was petting Heejin like the latter was a dog, who responded as such by whining and panting. The wind dragon was halfway transformed, with her eyes and teeth being dragonlike and wings making an appearance. 

"Aw, what a cute puppy you are-"

"Ahem."

Heejin noticed that everyone was staring at them, and became red. She pushed the younger away and speedily transformed back to her human form.

Heejin chuckled awkwardly. "Uh...you guys were saying?"

"Aw, should we call you PuppyJin now?" Jungeun teased, sticking her tongue out.

"We will speak nothing of this ever."

***

"You should take your medicine now."

Kahei looked up from her phone to see Haseul standing in front of her, syringe in hand. 

"Oh, sure! What should I do?"

"Nothing. Just lift your sleeves past your shoulder and relax."

Haseul sat next to Kahei at the kitchen table. She put the syringe up to her shoulder and stuck the needle into it. The older winced slightly but tried to stay still to let her finish. When it was done, the younger pulled out the needle and put a bandage over it. 

"Finished." 

"Thank you! I appreciate it." Kahei said with a smile.

Haseul nodded. They sat there awkwardly in silence. 

"So...what do you usually do for fun?" Kahei asked.

"Fun?..." Haseul repeated, pondering on the word. 

"Yeah, like something that makes you happy?" 

"I do not really do much..." Haseul muttered under her breath, looking downwards.

"Okay, well..." Kahei paused to think. "How about we try something I do to relax?"

"What do you do?"

The older stood up and went over to the cabinet. She dig through it for a while, brought out a few books and carried them over to Haseul. She placed them down and the younger gazed at them curiously. 

"Bak...ing?" She read out and Kahei happily nodded.

"Yep! Baking is something I do to relieve stress and it's really fun because I get to be creative! Also, it's much more fun to do with someone!"

"I guess... I could try."

"Great!" Kahei handed the other one of the recipe books. "Find which ever one you like!"

Haseul took the book out of her hands and began looking through. She did not have much of an idea of what she was looking for. She never made any of this before, let alone had eaten them, so she just searched for something that looked interesting or familiar. Haseul flipped through all of the first book, but frowned when she did not find anything that caught her eye.

"That's okay!" Kahei reassured, and handed Haseul the next book. "Try another one!"

"Okay..." 

Haseul looked through a bit, and just all hope seemed lost, she found one that caught her interest and showed it to the other.

"Ah, Funfetti Cupcakes! I love those! Good choice! What made you choose it?"

"I don't know, the rainbow looked pretty so..." Haseul said, biting her lip.

"That's a fine reason, don't worry about it! Let's see..." Kahei read over the recipe. "I have all these ingredients so this will be easy. It will take three hours, so let's get started!"

"Um, Kahei?" The brunette started, voice sounding nervous. "Just letting you know, I probably will not be that good..."

"The point of this isn't to be good at it." Kahei began to explain. "The point is to have fun, relieve some stress, you know? We'll do this together, and even if we don't do it right, at least we enjoyed ourselves!"

Haseul stared at her in confusion. She never did anything just for the purpose of enjoyment. Everything she always did was for the sake of surviving or because she was forced to, so this was different. But she embraced the pink haired girl's compassion and went through with it.

"You ready?" 

Haseul smiled. "Of course."

***

Hyunjin took out a piece of folded paper and placed on the center table. She opened it up to reveal it to be a map of Seoul. She took out a blue and red marker and took off the cap. Hyejoo, Heejin, Jungeun, and Jinsoul surrounded the table and looked at the map in interest, wondering what she was going to do next.

"Within the past few months, there have been a total of 21 reported attacks." Hyunjin started. She began to circle several places with the blue marker, totaling to 20. "And these are all the cases that targeted certain people. This includes Kahei." She then took the red marker and circled the location of the mall. "And this is where the attack of yesterday occured. If you notice, all of this is happening within a 10 mile radius of each other. But you know where the center point is?" Hyunjin took a black marker, opened it, and circled a certain area. "Here. The Seoul Research and Protection Center, or SRPC."

"What happens there?" Hyejoo asked. 

"They are the ones running the special police that helps fend us against dragons. Every place on Earth has one, but ours is the most fucked up. They don't care whether or not a hybrid is dangerous, they just go after any they find. If they find any hybrid, they will imprison them and used them for experiments. Or, if you get caught by the wrong person, murdered. They constantly work on new gadgets to fulfill this task, which often turns out to be used for torture."

"I've heard about that." Jinsoul started. "I had a friend who worked there but...she did not last long."

"Working there as a hybrid is the worst thing you can do. They'll figure you out eventually and when they do they show no mercy." Hyunjin stressed. 

"So, do you think that who ever is doing this is targeting them?" Hyejoo asked.

"I'm pretty sure. I just don't know what to do about it. We can't know for sure unless something happens and can't tell anyone since that could lead to all hybrids being in danger, including you guys."

"So, why don't you work there?" Heejin suggested. "You're not a hybrid, you can go in and get information."

"It's not that easy." Hyunjin began to explain. "They don't just let a random person of the street in. Most of them who work there are from the same network. They don't let anyone in they don't know. That's why most of them are siblings or have been family friends for generations."

"They're pretty secretive then."

"Yeah, but just a little too secretive..."

"We'll have to keep an eye out then." Jinsoul stated. "Let's keep documenting the attacks and be aware of our surroundings."

"Agreed." Jungeun joined in. "There has to be more clues out there, we just have to be patient and vigilant."

"Not only that," Hyunjin began. "But you guys go to keep watching your backs. With all these attacks, the SRPC are going to become more involved, but not in a good way. There are going to target your kind and unimaginable acts to you guys. Treat everyone as a possible threat and don't trust anyone except my close friends. We can't risk the wrong people finding out about you guys or our plan."

"Understood." Jinsoul agreed. "We wouldn't have it any other way."

"Great."

"Well now that that's over with," Heejin stood up off the floor. "I'm going to go shower. I feel disgusting right now."

"Go ahead," Hyunjin allowed as Heejin headed towards the bathroom. She turned to the others. "Are you guys staying here?"

"Yeah, why not? Might as well!" Jungeun responded with a smile. "Let's hang out here."

"As long as we get back by the time Chaewon gets off work." Hyejoo added, making Jungeun chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah I know. You want to go see your girlfriend, I get it." She teased.

"She's not my-"

"Wait, are you two dating??" Hyunjin questioned, surprised.

"Wait, no we-"

"Practically." Jinsoul said, rolling her eyes. "They're always flirty and being all close. They even held hands earlier and was blushing about something."

"It was nothing!" Hyejoo protested. "We just...have a strange connection..."

"What do you mean?" Hyunjin asked.

"Well, when ever we touch, we feel something odd. It's like a fire was being lit up inside us and it felt so good. And even though we've only met less than three days ago, we feel as though we've none each other for ever. It's...an incredible feeling. But something we don't quite understand."

"Wow, that's so cool!" Jungeun exclaimed. "So, it's anytime you guys touch, you feel it?"

"Yeah, and the more intimate, the more hotter and comforting it is. And... that's why I kissed her twice."

Jinsoul and Jungeun stared at the youngest in disbelief, eyes widened and mouth agape. 

"Wait, so you...on the lips??" Jinsoul asked, still in shock.

"No! On the forehead and cheek. I don't know what came over me, it just felt like I had too."

"Still, that's..."

"Amazing!!" 

Jungeun threw herself onto Hyejoo and squeezed her with a hug.

"My baby has finally found herself a girlfriend after so long!!" She squealed with excitement. "I mean I can already see you guys having your first kiss, and going on dates, and acting all lovey dovey, and giving each other pet names, and cuddling, and getting married, and having sex, and-"

"Woah, wait!!" Hyejoo shoved her away. "Did you just say..."

"What?" The fauna gave her a sly smile. "Don't act like you don't want to."

"We just met!"

"But you guys are so perfect for each other! You're like that perfect movie couple, just made for each other!!"

The flame hybrid groaned. "All you fauna types are the same...."

"In a more serious note,", Hyunjin butted in. "I'll look into that for you, Hyejoo. That must mean something if you've never felt this with anyone else."

"Thanks, Hyunjin." 

"So, guys, what did I miss?"

Heejin walked in out of the bathroom. She had clearly just gotten out of the shower with her hair still soaked and sticking to her body. But what Hyunjin did not expect was for her to have no clothes on, and instead having a towel wrapped around body. Now, this would not be all bad if the towel was not so short that her private areas were barely being covered and that it was so tight that squeezed around her body, clearly outlining the curves of her body. Needless to say, Hyunjin did not have the best time handling it.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE LIKE THAT??"

"Huh, what??" Heejin looked at herself, realized what she was hinting at, and then smirked. "Aw, like what you see?"

"Ya, go get dressed!" Hyunjin demanded, face bright red.

"Aw, but what if I don't? Will you *punish* me for it?"

"Is she always like...*this*?" Hyunjin turned to the other hybrids to ask, trying not to look at the wind hybrid.

"Oh yeah, often." Jungeun replied. "It's a wind hybrid thing though. They're usually the most sexually driven types and sometimes very...*promiscuous*..."

"Don't mind her, it's in her nature." Jinsoul added. 

"I can't even tell you how many times she's been like this with me." Hyejoo added as well with a chuckle.

"But how do I not make her do that- huh??"

While they had been talking, Heejin had sauntered her way over to them and just sat herself down on the human female's lap.

"You can't stop what's in my nature, baby." Heejin said with a flirty tone, eyes glowing purple and predatory.

"Heejin, if you don't-"

"What are you gonna do, babygirl?Wanna *show* me?...."

Hyunjin looked at the others, eyes pleases for help but the others chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, you'll just have to get used to it. She can't control that." Jinsoul explained.

"And that's why she had Ryujin...." Jungeun joked under breath.

"Fuck my life..."

***

"See, we finished!"

Both women sighed in relief at their finished work. It took them a bit longer than the three hours the recipe had said. The struggled a little bit, with Haseul constantly apologizing and Kahei constantly encouraging her. They eventually got the cupcakes in the oven, with the younger looking in awe at this technology she has never seen before. When it was done, the both had fun putting icing and decorating with more rainbow sprinkles. Overall, it was not perfect but it was fun that they got to do this.

Kahei has not felt the happy in a while. She used to being alone and having to do things for herself. But, after a long time, she finally did something she loved with someone else. Haseul also enjoyed it, an unusual feeling of joy coming on. She had not felt that way in a long time as well, and she would not mind doing this again.

"Now, let's eat!" 

Kahei picked up two cupcakes and handed one to Haseul, who gladly took it. When they took a bite, they were surprised by how well it turned out. Of course, it was a little too sweet, but was way better than thought it would be.

"See? It turned out well, didn't it?"

"Yes, I cannot believe it." Haseul smiled at the other. "Thank you for allowing me to do this."

"No problem, anytime!" 

"So, what happens now?" Haseul asked.

"I don't really know, I haven't had a day off in a long time..."

"Where do you work at?" Haseul asked. 

"At a school. I'm an English teacher for second graders for 5 years." Kahei replied, taking another cupcake to eat.

"How is it being a teacher?"

"It's nice! The kids are fun to teach and I have some good memories with them."

"Is that something that makes you happy?"

"Mhm, it does. Besides hanging out with my friends, it helps lift my mood the most."

"I see..."

They were both interrupting by a cellphone ringing. Kahei picked up her phone off the table and looked at the caller ID. 

"Ah, my friend is calling. I'll be right back!" Kahei said, walking away to take the call, leaving Haseul. 

The frost hybrid was deep in thought, taking in what the human girl just said. It left her confused, but also curious. As she took another bite of her first cupcake, she felt a little more content and smiled to herself. She was not completely sure if her mind had been changed, but she was little more opened minded to it.

*Maybe, there is a little purpose to life....*

***

"Well, that was boring."

Jiwoo and Sooyoung walked out of the company building with dull expressions. The younger began to groan and complain about the previous events.

"I mean, it did not really affect us, they just talked about budgeting and staff replacements. We really didn't need to be there. I could've went to Chaewon's place today!"

The older nodded half mindedly and quietly walked along the sidewalk, making the younger frown.

"You okay?"

"Huh?" Sooyoung said, startled before drowning again. "Oh yeah."

"You sure? Because you're awfully quiet." Jiwoo expressed, pouting. "I mean, usually you're flirting with me or teasing me but all of today you've unusually silent."

"I'm just feeling it today, sorry."

"Is it about that girl? Because Chaewon called me to say she was fine."

"I know, but it's not about that."

"Then what is it?" Jiwoo crossed her arms.

"Nothing, I'm serious."

"Why can't you just tell me anything??" Jiwoo protested, voice raised.

"Can we not discuss this now?"

"Yes, we will." Jiwoo demanded, stopping her saunter. Sooyoung groaned and stopped in front of her. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

"There's nothing going on!" 

"Oh really?" The younger said, clearly not buying it. "You have been avoiding me all day, you don't want to talk to me or even smile in my direction. All you've done today is sulk and moan without any explanation. Just yesterday, I found that you're..." Jiwoo looked around at the passerbys. "*that*...and that you've abandoned your long time friends to live here. Now, I've forgiven you for not telling me, since I can understand that part, but the part I don't understand is that when I give you the opportunity to be open and honest with me, you avoid it and just cover it up. I can't just start a relationship with all of these secrets! I can't go through the same shit last time! I've been nothing but sweet with you, but all you do is lie and flirt your way out of things. That ends right now!"

Sooyoung was taken aback by the human girl's tone. Since they've met, she has never seen her take this tone up with anybody, even those who annoy her. The hybrid did not know that she was capable of getting this upset.

"So, what is it going to be?" Jiwoo started. "Will you tell me everything or not? Because I can't waste my time."

Sooyoung sighed and ultimately gave up. 

"Fine, I'll tell you."

"Final-"

"But I got to handle something first."

Jiwoo eyed her suspiciously. "Why? What are you going to do?"

"Just trust me, okay? I have to do something real quick and I'll meet you back at the hotel as soon as possible. Please, can you trust me?"

Jiwoo heard the desperation in her voice, and looked her in the eyes. The older looked serious, so she allowed.

"Fine, I trust you but be back there in an hour. No more."

Sooyoung smiled and gave Jiwoo a peck on the lips. "Thank you, baby. I'll make it quick."

"You better."

And with that, they headed off in opposite directions.

***

"What do you mean, "they know"?" 

"Just as I said, they're here and are already catching on. They even got a few humans involved. It's like they're forming some sort of alliance."

"Understood. Well they don't know much yet, so let's be patient and watch. See what they're up to."

"Should I follow them around?"

"Yes, but be careful and sneaky about it. You can't get yourself to involved and we could risk the whole operation."

"And what do I do about *her*?"

"Oh don't worry." The conniving smile grew. "I can handle her."

"You won't hurt her, will you?"

"No, just...."

Eerie gray eyes glowed in the eerie darkness. 

"....teach her a lesson."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here was Chapter Three! I hope you guys liked it! We finally met Kahei, Haseul, and Yerim! Kahei and Haseul's relationship are going to be very calm and wholesome and honestly a break from all the violence and drama. And Yerim is just.... Yerim lol. We love her! Also, a lot of questions have been brought up so any predictions? I would love to hear what you think! ♡
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	4. 𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> slowly but surely, our minds are slowly becoming one.  
> the more i I know, the more my thoughts become clear.  
> we get closer, and closer  
> until we there is no space between.  
> i have no explanation for it,  
> but all i know is that  
> 𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

After spending the day with Hyunjin, Jinsoul, Jungeun, and Hyejoo headed back to Chaewon's place when she got off work. Yerin had went home too, after pestering them with questions for an hour. Later, They are dinner and promptly went to bed, tired from the events of the last 24 hours. 

Hyejoo laid there on the couch and was staring at the ceiling, daydreaming. It was midnight, and the flame hybrid should be sleeping, but her mind was overflowing with lingering thoughts. For one, she thought about what Hyunjin said about the SRPC and their horrendous plans. It seemed they were getting wedged in the middle. They had hybrids who are doing crimes but they could not get involve with the police or the SRPC to stop them because of how corrupted and biased they were. They were basically on their own, especially since the dragon council did not care even a bit about this. Then she thought about Sooyoung, and how she was doing. Hyejoo did not know whether she should be angry at her for being selfish and secretive or forgive so they could move further in their relationship. She was leaning more towards the former, but the latter was still something she would consider overtime. If Sooyoung wanted to move forward, she had to at least make an effort. They have not talked in almost a day, but hopefully she will come forward soon.

Then there was Chaewon. Hyejoo did not know what was going on between them, but something about it made her intrigued. But also, what were they at this point? Friends? Clearly whatever was causing them to feel this way when they touch did not want them to be. For now, she would wait to see what happens next between them. Maybe it would go away, but Hyejoo hoped that it would not. 

While she was invested in her thoughts, Hyejoo began to get a weird feeling. She felt like something was tugging at her and she did not know why. The flame hybrid sat up and looked down the hallway at Chaewon's bedroom door. She felt uneasy and even more sick. This feeling overcame her and she got up to walk towards her bedroom.

Hyejoo opened the door and her heart completely sank. She saw Chaewon in bed, stirring frantically and sweat profusely. Her blankets were knocked off the bed and the blonde was whimpering and shaking violently. 

Hyejoo quickly went over to her and tried to wake her up by shaking her, but it was no use. She was too deep in her nightmare. When Chaewon started crying, Hyejoo sat on the bed and pulled her into a hug, hushing and caressing her gently. She began laying soft kisses over her forehead and whispered words of comfort. When the hybrid heard the girl slowly hush, she pulled her closer by her waist on to her lap and continued her efforts. 

"It's okay..." Hyejoo whispered quietly, delicately placing more kisses on her forehead. Slowly but surely, the tears came to a halt and the sleeping girl went quiet. 

Hyejoo gave a sigh of relief as she saw her fast asleep. She looked so peaceful as if all the previous events never happened. The hybrid ran her thumb against the human's cheek and felt how warm and soft it was. She looked beautiful when she slept, Hyejoo noticed. She was so busy admiring her sleeping form and how tranquil the environment got from how hectic it was almost ten minutes ago. She felt herself slowly dozing off, and ultimately gave in to it as her eyes began to close. She fell asleep soon after, with Chaewon's sitting on her lap, head laying against her chest and cuddling into her while Hyejoo held her close. 

As time went on, this became routine for the three days.

Hyejoo would be sleeping, only to then be woken by a sick feeling in her stomach. She would get up, go over to see shaking vigorously in her sleep with tears rushing down her face. Hyejoo's heart would break at this, and immediately went over to her, giving her tender kisses and whispered reassuring words. They would fall asleep together, smiles written on their face. 

When waking up, they would talk about what Chaewon's nightmare contained this time. The first night this happened, it was Chaewon being stuck in place, as she was being frozen alive. Then, it was her being chained by weights and drowned to the bottom of the ocean. The following night, she was being eaten alive but by ravenous animals. And now, it was Chaewon being stuck in her room with no air and suffocating to death. 

All Hyejoo wanted to do was figure out what was making her have these dreams and make sure it would not come back again. But she did not know, all she knew was that she had to all she could to comfort her from it. It only got worse, and Hyejoo did not know what to do. All of these strange things were happening at once and all they could do is bear through it.

Right now, it was early in the morning, cuddling with Chaewon on Hyejoo's lap. Hyejoo was half mindedly ran her fingers through Chaewon's hair, the noise being heard was their soft breathing. 

"I have to get ready for work..." Chaewon spoke up, quietly.

"You should just cancel..." Hyejoo protested in a whisper. "You're in no place to work..."

"I can't just cancel last minute. I'll just push through it..."

"Chaewon, you told me yesterday you put "caramel" in someone's "pumpkin spice latte" and had to redo it."

"Do you even know what they are and what that even means?"

"Nope, but you were upset about it so I assume that's a bad thing."

Chaewon laughs quietly. "Thought so."

Hyejoo smiled when she her the beautiful sounding her laugh was. Even though Chaewon was suffering with these nightmares, she still had moments like this where she sounded even a little bit happy. Maybe all of this was turning the flame hybrid soft, because she had treated anyone, even her first girlfriend, like this. They had fights all the time and never got a moment where they would just relax on a Friday morning, talking sweetly and laughing. She wished she could have more moments like this. 

"I'll call Seunghee and tell her I'm taking the day off."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I don't want to make mistakes like that again. Besides, she even asked me take off so I could rest."

Hyejoo smiled. "Good."

"So, what should we do instead?"

"I don't know. What do you usually do on days off?"

Chaewon was silent for a moment.

"Well, I like to video games."

"Video games?"

"They're games that can be played on using technology. There are many types, action or violence, but I usually just like to play Mario Kart."

"What do you do in that game?"

"You remember cars right?"

"Mhm."

"Yeah, well "karts" are similar to that. You race different characters on a road called a "track" to win first place. It's pretty fun and not hard to learn."

"Can we play?"

"Sure, but you have to let go of me first and I think you're too comfortable to do that."

"Mm, yeah you're right. Maybe we should lay here."

They both chuckled lightly. After another ten minutes, they pulled themselves away. After doing their morning necessities and calling Seunghee, they went to the kitchen to make some food for breakfast. Chaewon taught Hyejoo how to make pancakes, and after a few burnt and undercooked ones, they finished with enough to eat, as well as some left for when Jinsoul and Jungeun dragged themselves out of bed. They finished, washed the dishes together, and headed to the living room. Chaewon pulled out a strange device that she called a "Nintendo Switch". After setting everything up, she handed a controller to Hyejoo, who eyed confusedly. 

"This is what you use to play the game. We're going to try a version of Mario Kart called "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe", which is my favorite!" 

" 'Kay, so what do I do?" Hyejoo asked curiously.

Chaewon started teaching Hyejoo how to play. They chose their characters, with the blonde choosing Princess Peach and the black haired choosing Mario. It took a while for Hyejoo to take get the hang of the controls, but once she did, they were having a lot of fun. Eventually, Hyejoo even beat Chaewon a few times in a row, as if she was a natural at this. They kept playing for an hour, ending with the hybrid winning for the ninth time.

"Yes, won again!" Hyejoo cheered.

"It was only beginner's luck!" Chaewon pouted, crossing her arms in protest.

"Or maybe I'm just better than you!"

"You wish..."

"Aw.." Hyejoo cooed, squeezes her cheeks. "Are you upset that I kept winning?"

"No..." Chaewon still pouty.

Hyejoo smirked. "Aw, my baby is upset~"

"Your what?"

The hybrid realized what she had said, and pulled away in embarrassment. 

"N-Nothing..." Hyejoo stuttered, her cheeks burning up.

"Did you just call me-"

"Uh, yeah?..."

They both stared at each other, blushing lightly. After some awkward silence, they burst at laughing. 

"It's fine." Chaewon said, smiling. "I don't mind you calling me that."

"Oh, okay! I guess I'll keep calling you that then." Hyejoo joked.

"Um, can I ask you something?" Chaewon asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, sure."

"Well, first, I've been thinking about what's been happening between us. The feelings when we touch, the comfort we feel from each other, and how we can kind of...sense each other. It seed like we've known each other for a long time, even though we haven't. And, I was thinking...what all this means."

The hybrid sat there quietly, so she continued.

"And, I was wondering what if...this meant something. Like, you come from a world of magic, right? So, what if it's some kind of magic that's doing this? I know it's crazy, but it's just been something I've been thinking these past few days."

"Well," Hyejoo started. "I've heard of something like this happening. But, when it comes to dragons, we form bonds very quickly. We are the type of people who will meet someone one day, and fall in love the next. Keep in mind, we're partly animals, and most animals don't waste when it comes to getting in a relationship. So, in this case, it isn't strange for this to happen. But, that burning sensation and how strong our connection is is strange. I do think there might be some magical elements going on here, otherwise this wouldn't make any fucking sense. I just don't know what is. Hyunjin is looking into it for us though."

"You told her?"

"Yeah, but that's only because Jungeun and Jinsoul couldn't stop teasing me about it."

"They know too?"

"Mhm, and now they'll never leave me alone."

Chaewon chortled a bit. They say there silently for a bit, before the older was about to get up.

"Well, I think I'm going to get us a dri-"

A hand grabbed onto her and pulled her back down suddenly. Chaewon looked at her confusedly to only then be met with Hyejoo's tough expression. 

"What?"

"Remember when we held hands and how warming it felt?" Hyejoo asked, a serious look in her eyes.

"Yes?.."

"And when I kissed you on the forehead and how it felt even warmer?"

"Y-Yes?..."

"Then...what would happen if we would..."

"You mean..."

"Yes..."

Chaewon looked her in the eyes. "I...don't know."

"Then..." Hyejoo moved closer to Chaewon, until their faces were inches apart. "Can we find out?..."

Chaewon looked from her eyes, to her lips, then back to her eyes again. Her breathing began to waver. 

"Yes."

Nothing could of prepared them for the next few moments. Hyejoo made the first move, inching closer until their lips finally touched. 

At first, they were in shock that they were actually did this, eyes blown wide and no one making a move. But then that feeling came on again. That feeling that made Hyejoo feel the need to leave gentle kissed all over her forehead and cheeks. The one that made her want to bring Chaewon close and cuddle her endlessly. The one that told her whenever the she needed her. And now, it urged the hybrid on, wanting to feel pure bliss.

She closed her eyes moved her lips, slowly and delicately. She had not kissed anyone since her ex so she as little out of practice. However, that did not matter, because nothing could prepare for this. Eventually, the blonde joined in and moved her lips as well, trying to sync with her. 

Then they felt it. If all their previous affections made them felt like they were filled with fire, this made them feel like were on fire. It was explosion of fireworks, a feeling of nirvana, something they never knew they could feel. The two kept kissing, confidence building within them. They moved closer together, until there was no space between them. Hyejoo, who was originally unsure of herself, relished in the taste of Chaewon's lips. It was sweet and addicting, and with the heat of the fire increasing, she wanted more. She slipped her tongue into the other's mouth, making the older whimper and give out soft moans. It sounded like music to her ears, Hyejoo did not want it to stop. When their tongues touched, it danced in their mouths, with intimate sounds spilling out.

Why did it feel so *good*? They could not stop, wanting to feel more of flames that was consuming them. It continued for another minute, then another, then a few more, until the eventually lost track of time. They forgot where they were, get lost in each other. Hyejoo's hands move from holding Chaewon's hands to her hips, trying to keep her as close as possible. Chaewon's hands went to her shoulder, squeezing it to not let her go. 

They just could not stop, but at the same time, they did not want to. Something about this was so addicting, and they were feeling high off of it. It was safe to say that no kiss Hyejoo has ever had could compare to this. The hybrid pulled the human onto her lap, with the latter straddling it. They kept at it, with Chaewon's head tilting to the side at an angle. 

After who knows how long, Hyejoo decided to pull away, saliva connecting their mouths together. They stayed together for a while, foreheads resting together and breaths intermingling. They were silent, trying to take in what just happened.

"Wow..." Chaewon said breathlessly. "That was..."

"Fuck, that was amazing..." Hyejoo breathed out. "I've never had a kiss like that before..."

"I've never had a kiss in general..." Chaewon chuckled.

"Wait, what?" Hyejoo pulled away. "I was...your first kiss?"

"Yeah, you were."

The hybrid's eyes blew wide. "Oh my god, I'm sorry I didn't-"

"No, it's okay. I wanted you to." Chaewon comforted with a smile. "Besides, I certainly don't regret that."

"Me neither..."

"So what are we?..." The blonde asked.

"I don't know..."

"I don't know either but... I wouldn't mind trying to explore what we have...."

"Yeah, me too..." 

They shared a smile and Hyejoo placed one last peck on Chaewon's lips, making her giggle.

They did not know what was happening between them, but they were opened to learn more about it. Where ever this led, they were ready for anything. But for now, they just enjoyed the aftermath of what they just experienced. 

Now, what they did not notice was that Jinsoul and Jungeun were standing there, having watched everything that unfolded, and looked on with awe and a gentle smile on their face.

***

"What are you up to now?"

Heejin sat next to Hyunjin, looking over at the book she was reading. She read a few lines and cocked an eyebrow.

"Why are looking at a book about Dragon Bonds?"

"Because of what Hyejoo told me." Hyunjin replied. "She told about what's been happening with Chaewon so I was looking into it. Apparently, whenever they touched, they would get this strange feeling and that they had a some sort of connection."

"Wow, we've only been here for a week, and Hyejoo's already got herself a girlfriend." Heejin bantered. "Good for her."

"Well, yeah but it still a little weird."

"I don't know all about that lovey dovey stuff." Heejin started. "But if this about dragon bonds, then this must be significant."

"What do you know?" Hyunjin questioned.

"I'm not the best person to ask but bonding is apparently a very sacred part of our culture. It's kind of like soulmates, in a way. Most people don't get one and often times either end up alone or get lucky and find someone they like. Others, however, are given bond with someone at birth. That means you and your bonded mate are set to be together for a certain purpose. Your minds and bodies are linked, and the two are pretty much unstoppable as a pair. It's said that our ancient ancestors did this as way of "developing our society", what ever the hell that means. But, I've never heard of a dragon and human pair, though."

"That's the confusing part. This doesn't make sense."

"To be honest, a lot of things about us don't make sense. But I guess that's what happens when our lives are pretty much determined by magic and past traditions."

Hyunjin sat there for a moment, thinking.

"Can I ask a question?"

"Sure." Heejin shrugged.

"How much of your lives are controlled? Like, you said it's determined by magic and traditions, so how much of it is?"

"A lot of it." The hybrid started. "We're born into a world with set norms and you're forced to conform to it or be an outcast. It starts with you being taught what to love or hate as young as three, then you might be sent away to be conformed into what people want you to be, then it's things like who you love. You don't get to be your own person, you have to be like everyone else. Every type is different, with their own set of views, some are more fucked up than others."

"How was yours affected?"

Heejin sighed. "Sometimes, it sucked. The others already said this, but wind hybrids are very.... promiscuous. They are the types to go around and sleep with everyone they can get their hands on as if it's some game. My parents... weren't around much. There was an accident and I was the result of it. My grandparents were the ones who raised me, and they often times protected me against this way of life. But...that didn't turn out well."

"So is that why you and Ryujin are..."

"Yeah, kinda. It's not like I hate it, I love her even though it's only for that and we're best friends, but sometimes it's just a coping mechanism. Before meeting her, I went around and did some things I regret. But, with how are lives are, it's hard to resist. Part of it is in our blood, another part is just because of societal norms. But meeting the other girls made it easier to handle it. I felt more than what life destined me to be. Same goes for the others. We're close that way."

"I feel bad for you guys." Hyunjin said. "You guys are forced into a life you don't want and I couldn't imagine how that can make you feel."

"It's cool. I mean, there's nothing we can do about it so..." Heejin chuckled, but with a slight hint of gloom in her voice.

Hyunjin could not fully comprehend of how wrong it was. Everyone deserves to have the right to control their own life. But it seemed like dragons always wanted everyone to fit their dated standards. No wonder so many hybrids wanted to live on Earth. Here, they could control their own life and being unique was accepted. But, there it was frowned upon.

"What would you do if you got to control your own life?"

Heejin sat there, pondering in the question.

"Well, I don't know, to be honest. But I wished I didn't some of the things I've done. I would have probably tried to actually not form my life around my dragon side, and actually be my own person. Maybe I would've moved here instead. The only thing I don't regret was meeting you guys."

Hyunjin hummed in response. 

"Anyways, I'll leave you to your book then."

"Well, I was about to go and make lunch. Want anything?" Hyunjin said, getting up and headed to the kitchen. 

"Mm, I don't know. Surprise me!" Heejin said slyly, plopping herself on the couch.

"Have you ever had a cheeseburger before?"

"I mean, duh." The hybrid said, rolling her eyes. 

"Seriously?"

"Ryujin comes to Earth sometimes to see her sister, so she sometimes bring some snacks with her. So I've tried it once."

"But you haven't tried mine so..."

"Oh really? As if yours is any better?"

"Yes, actually."

"Oh please." Heejin laughed. "I could probably make a better one than you."

"Yeah, I don't think so."

"Prove it."

Hyunjin mouth grew into a smirk. "Watch me."

***

"You should be resting right now."

Haseul and Kahei walked into the school building, with the latter waving at every staff member they passed.

"I'm not fragile, you know. I can handle a little bit of socializing." Kahei contested. "Besides, I have something I need to check on and it can't wait."

"Well then, may we make it quick." Haseul said, voice uneasy. "I do not like being around so many people."

"That's why I told you to stay home, but you refused." The older frowned.

"Because I have an obligation to keep you safe. Who knows who could be after you right now. In addition, you are still recovering." 

"I know, and I appreciate that." Kahei said. "I promise i'll make this quick."

After the teacher greeted a few more people and the two of them headed to the gym. As soon as they walked in, Kahei was surrounded by about 20 eager children happily greeting her.

"Hey kids!"

"Ms. Wong! Are you feeling better?" A few of the kids asked.

"A little bit, but I'll get better fast!"

"Ms. Wong!" One of the kids called out. "Are you coming back on Monday?"

"Hopefully!"

Kahei felt something tug at her dress, and she looked down to see one of her favorite students, Yuri, looking up at her curiously.

"Ms. Wong, is that your girlfriend?"

The English teacher's cheeks heated up, and she looked at Haseul, whose eyes we're partly widened. 

She chuckled nervously. "No, just a friend."

"Kahei!" 

An older girl speed up to them, and threw herself at Kahei, hugging her tightly. She was shorter and looked younger than both the women, but taller than the kids and obviously not a child. Although, she did look like one somewhat, wearing a two big bows that brought her light brown hair into two pigtails. Her clothes were very colorful and bright as well.

"I missed you! I'm so glad you're back!"

"It's only been a week, Yeojin." Kahei noted with a giggle. "It's not that long."

"I know but I missed having you to talk to!" Yeojin whined. "Plus, I've never wanted you to see what I've been working on!"

"Well, I'm here now so let me see!"

"Yay!" 

Yeojin turned to Haseul, smile bright and hand held out for her to shake. 

"Hey, I'm Yeojin, Kahei's close friend and practically her younger sister!"

Haseul looked at her hand, then at the younger girl's face, then at her hand. Kahei noticed how lost she looked, and decided to interfere.

"Yeah, so how about we see what you guys are working on?"

"Oh, sure! Let's go kids!"

The students and Yeojin ran over the spot the were before, with Haseul and Kahei following. 

The kids sat on a separate pillow that were perfectly placed into a circle, with Yeojin sitting in the middle. Kahei and Haseul sat behind them. 

"Let's pick up where we left off!" Yeojin started. "Who wants to go next?"

Many kids shot up their hands, anxiously waiting to be called on. Yeojin looked around, finding someone to pick, and pointed at with Yuri. She looked up at Yeojin, frightened.

"How about you?"

"Um... I don't think you'll like it..."

"Like what?" Kahei asked.

"We were thinking of ideas for the Christmas play!" Yeojin replied. "I told them all yesterday to come in with stories that they would like to act out. Then we would vote!"

"That sounds like a good idea!" 

Kahei put a hand on the shy girl's shoulder, making her turn around to look at her teacher with fearful eyes.

"Don't be shy. No one will judge." Kahei encouraged. "I would love to hear what you came up with."

"Um..." Yuri bit her lip and clenched on the paper she was holding. She looked over her paper nervously before nodding her head lightly. "Okay..."

"Take your time, Yuri! No rush!" Yeojin said with an encouraging smile.

The little girl gulped but cleared her throat to start.

"Well, I had a dream....so I wrote about it. I hope you guys like it..." She looked up at everyone, slightly shaky, but takes a deep breath and begins. "It was Christmas Eve and there was a little girl. She lost her parents and was trying to find someone to help her. She was running for a long time but she couldn't find them. Then, she made it to a playground that she used to play in with parents. She began to cry because she missed her mom and dad so much. She laid down on the slide and cried herself to sleep...."

Kahei heard small sniffles and thought it was coming from Yuri, but then she looked over at Haseul and noticed it was coming from her. She was not crying, but clearly got a little emotional. 

"But then...." Yuri continued. "She felt someone tap on her shoulder. The little girl looked up and saw a beautiful girl looking at her. She had long white hair, and eyes that were sparkling like diamonds, and a long white dress, and big angel wings. She wiped the little girl's tears and told her that it was going to be okay. The angel asked her what was wrong, and when the little girl told her, she got sad because she also lost her parents too. She offered to help her find her parents. The little girl got excited and they went to find them. On the way, they met and helped a lot of people, who gave them clues on how to find the little girl's parents. They found her parents but the angel got sad. So the little girl said that she could spend Christmas with them, and she got happy again. They spent Christmas Eve together, and the angel finally felt like she had a family too. In the morning, she was about to leave, but the girl begged her to stay through the day. The girl's parents said that because of her kindness, that she would adopt her and the angel was even more happy than ever before. And then...they lived happily ever after."

All the kids, who were quietly listening the entire time, joyfully clapped when she was finished.

"That's story is so cool!"

"Oo, can I be the angel??"

"I want that to be our play!!"

Yuri shyly smiled. "Th-Thank you..."

"Great job, Yuri! Such a sweet story!" Yeojin complimented. 

"I'm so proud of you, Yuri." Kahei added, hugging the little girl. 

"Thank you..."

Haseul sat there quietly, lost in her thoughts. She pondered on the story she just heard and it struck something in her. She wanted to praise the girl too, but decided to admire it quietly. The frost hybrid ended up not regretting coming the Kahei after hearing that.

"Alright, who wants to go next?"

***

Hyejoo picked up her phone and looked at the time.

*2:30 pm*

She put her phone back and looked down to see Chaewon laying on top of her, sleeping. 

Hyejoo smiled to herself.

After their kiss, they ended up falling asleep together on the couch. That was the point of the day off after all. It's been over two hours, and Hyejoo could say she felt well rested. 

The hybrid began subconsciously playing with the human girl's hair. She did not want to over react, but this had to be the best day of her life. It felt like she finally found someone she felt a large and genuine connection with. Call her crazy, but maybe they were meant to be together.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a phone ringing. She looks on the floor and see that Chaewon's phone had gone off. Hyejoo picked it up and saw that it was Jiwoo calling. She answered it.

"Jiwoo?"

*"Chaewon?"*

"No, it's Hyejoo. Chaewon's sleeping right now."

*"Oh..."*

Hyejoo could hear the sadness in her voice, making her frown.

*"I'll just call back later..."* Jiwoo sighed.

"What's wrong?"

*"I mean, I don't want to bore you..."*

"You won't. Just tell me what's going on. You sound upset."

*"Well...."* Jiwoo paused. *"It's about Sooyoung..."*

"What happened? Is she bothering you?"

*"No?.. I mean, yes but....I don't even know. She's just making me frustrated."*

"How?"

*"I keep trying to get her to be open with me. But she keeps avoiding it. I don't want our relationship to be filled with any secrets but she won't cooperate with me. Maybe I'm just paranoid, I don't know, I just don't see how that's so hard to be open with your girlfriend, you know?"*

"I get it..." Hyejoo sighed. "What happened the last time you asked?"

*"On Monday, so four days ago. I begged her to tell me, and she almost did. But, she seemed...off. She told me that she couldn't tell me but said that she's "handling it". She said that if she said anything, that we would get hurt. I didn't question her after that, but I still feel uneasy."*

"That's...weird."

*"Yeah, and I don't know if I should trust her or not. I mean, what do you think?"*

"Well, honestly, that's Sooyoung for you. She's always got something she's hiding. But don't take it personal, she's not doing to hurt you. Give her time, but if she doesn't let up soon, just let us know. But her reason for not saying anything is suspicious so I'll tell the others. For now, just act as usual. Don't push Sooyoung too much, because at this point, this is the only way we can keep in contact with her. We'll figure out what's going on."

*"O-Okay..."* Jiwoo stuttered. *"Thank you, Hyejoo. I'll do that."*

"No problem, tell us if things get worse."

*"Gotcha. You know..."*

"Yeah?"

*"I noticed the last time that you and Chaewon were clinging onto each other a lot. Also, Chaewon was calling me from her work the other day talking about you non stop. So, do you guys like each other?"*

"She's...been talking about me?"

*"Oh, yeah! Like about how cool you are, and how much she enjoys your company."*

Hyejoo was surprised. She never knew that the blonde had that much interest in her.

"Wow I..."

"So did you?" Jiwoo asked with a curious tone.

"Yeah, I like her. I just don't know if it's too soon. I mean, I know humans aren't quick with going into relationships like we are."

"Well, times change. But, if you like her, then just go for it. Being her best friend, Chaewon has also been the shy and secluded type. She mostly had me as when we growing up. I also told she should find someone, but she's never had the guts to. But after meeting you, Chaewon seems to be more open. I'm sure you two would be great together! Just go on a date, and see how it goes!"

"Okay... I'll try that. I think I like Chaewon, so maybe we should try going out."

"Great! Good luck then! I gotta go, but see you soon!"

"Thank you. Good luck to you too."

The call ended and Hyejoo promptly placed Chaewon's phone back. 

Maybe, they could make it work. Hyejoo hoped so. The hybrid closed her eyes to get some more shut-eye, content with the thought.

But she did not notice that Chaewon was awake the entire time, blushing and uncontrollably smiling.

***

"I'm home!"

Yeojin walked into the apartment, closing the door behind with bags in her hands. She carried them to the kitchen and walked into her roommate's bedroom.

"Yerim?"

Yeojin walked over to where Yerim was sitting, deep into what she was working on. Her desk was messy, with papers spread across and art supplies littered everywhere. The purple haired female was busy sketching, not even noticing the brunette. 

"Whatcha working on?" Yeojin curiously asked.

"Nothing really." Yerim responded. "Just random sketches."

"No commissions?"

"No, not for the past week."

"Are you okay?"

Yerim sighed. "No, not really...."

"What's wrong? Tell me!" 

The older turned around in her seat to look at the younger.

"I just....miss you...."

"Miss me? But I'm right here!"

"But you're always gone..." Yerim pouted. "I thought you moving in here would mean we could hang out more! But you're gone all day! And I know you work, but then you're always hanging out with your friends! What about me?..."

"Aww!" Yeojin pinched her cheeks. "You're jealous!"

"No!" Yerim whined. "Maybe?..."

"You're so cute!" 

Yerim pouted even more while Yeojin cooed.

"Whatever..."

"I'll try to come home earlier! And hang out with my friends less! I didn't know you felt this way."

"I just didn't want to be rude..."

"It's not, though! I'd be jealous too!" 

"So, you're not mad?"

"Of course not! You're my best friend!"

"Oh...Thanks, Yeojin."

"No problem!" Yeojin smiled. "Let's go eat! I brought your favorite! Tteokbokki!"

"Really??" Yerim quickly stood up and hugged Yeojin tightly. "Man, I love you!"

Yeojin giggled. "I love you too!"

Yerim was joyful, but internally she frowned. She knew that the "I love you" was platonic and it hurt quite a bit. This would be the time to tell her her feelings, but she felt it was not the time. 

"Can we go eat then?" The younger asked.

"Yeah, let's go!"

For now, the artist was just glad that she got to be this close to her crush. 

***

"*This* is where you live?"

Sooyoung watched in awe as the walked to Jiwoo's home. It was a large mansion, with a long gate surrounding the area. When the got to the gate's entrance, two security guards stood in front, face monotoned. 

Ultimately, Jiwoo was skeptical about bringing Sooyoung to see her parents, but she has no choice. Her parents were always nosy when it came to her love life, always curious about who she was seeing. So after she told them that she was stopping by, they became interested in Sooyoung and wanted to see her badly. Jiwoo gave in, since maybe then they would leave her alone. Besides, this would be quick, as long as Sooyoung behaves.

"Yeah, this is my home!" Jiwoo responded. "I moved out a few years ago, but I still comeback from time to time."

"That's...wow."

Jiwoo giggled at how speechless the older was. 

Jiwoo then turned to the guards and signaled them to unlock the gate, which they hurriedly obliged. They walked up the front door and the younger promptly knocked a few times. 

After a minute, the door was finally opened and they were greeted by a lady, who bowed when she saw Jiwoo.

"Good evening, Ms. Jiwoo. Welcome back."

"To you too, Gahyeon!" Jiwoo said back. "Also, I told you years ago to not be so formal! We're close in age anyway!"

"Sorry, Jiwoo. I guess it's because it has been a while."

"You're fine!"

The maid looked to Jiwoo's side to see Sooyoung.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Gahyeon asked.

"Yeah, this is Sooyoung!"

Sooyoung met eyes with Gahyeon, who then looked her up and down then smiled.

"Good choice."

"Thank you!" 

"You should hurry inside. Your parents are waiting for you."

Jiwoo nodded and walked inside and past the maid. As Sooyoung followed behind and walked past the maid, a hand was placed on her shoulder.

"You've must be really lucky, aren't you?" Gahyeon remarked.

"I guess, but not that it matters." 

"Yeah, it does. But not that you care, huh?"

"No, but clearly you do."

"Of course I do, but for all the right reasons."

Sooyoung snorted. "Sure."

"Whether you like or not, you have a job to do. Don't blow it."

Sooyoung shrugged off her hand in frustration, and sauntered after Jiwoo, leaving Gahyeon chuckling to herself. 

***

"My dear daughter, I missed you so much!"

"Okay, okay!"

Jiwoo was been crushed by her mother hugging her tightly and crying tears of joy.

"Mom, you're squeezing me!"

"Oh, sorry!" 

Jiwoo's mother pulled away, and placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"It's fine!" Jiwoo said. "I'm happy to see you too."

"You've grown so much!" The mother commented, "I mean, just yesterday you were my little girl and now you're all grown up!"

"Thanks mom but... where's dad?"

"Oh, he's at an important meeting but he'll be back in an hour!"

Jiwoo sighed. "Of course he is..."

"Is this your girlfriend?" The mother said, turning her attention to Sooyoung.

"Yes, her name is Sooyoung."

She stared at her for a little while, analyzing her daughter's girlfriend before smiling.

"How nice!" The mother held out her hand. "It is wonderful to meet you."

"You too. Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Kim." Sooyoung replied, bowing and shaking her hand.

"Beautiful AND has manners! She is way better than your last one, huh?"

"Mom." Jiwoo whined, "I told you to stop mentioning her."

"Right, sorry honey. Anyway, let us sit down and eat!"

They all took a seat in the dining room, Jiwoo and Sooyoung sitting next to each other and Mrs. Kim sitting across from them, while the kitchen staff brought a whole buffet of food in front of them. After getting the food they want on the plate and taking a few bites, Ms.Kim cleared her throat to get their attention.

"So, tell me about yourself Sooyoung. As in where you came from or your interests."

"Well, I'm not that interesting, however," Sooyoung started. "I came from a pretty rough background. I never was close with my parents and I had barely any friends. So when I turned 18, I didn't hesitate to leave home and get my life together. I always wanted to act, so I auditioned at the same company as Jiwoo and I got in. Besides that, I don't really have many hobbies."

"I'm sorry that you could not get close with your family, that must have been hard."

"No need to feel sorry, I've mostly gotten over it. Besides, dating your daughter helps me not worry about those things."

Jiwoo blushed at the comment and just when she was about to respond about it, Gahyeon walked into the dining room.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Kim. Your husband has arrived. He needs to speak with you." The maid announced with a bow.

"Oh, thank you Gahyeon." Mrs. Kim said, promptly standing. "Excuse me, I will be back."

She walked out of the room, leaving the couple and maid.

"Do you guys need anything?" Gahyeon asked, but Jiwoo shook her head.

"No, we're fine! Thanks though." Jiwoo responded. "Just sit with us for a while!"

"I can't Jiwoo. I'm working."

"Oh come on! Just for few minutes until my mom gets back!"

Gahyeon shrugged and sat next to Jiwoo. 

"Thanks."

"No problem! How have been these days?"

Sooyoung carefully watched over Gahyeon as the two talked. Something about the way she was acting and looking at Jiwoo did not sit right with her. It was somewhat flirtatious, with how she would touch her arm, but also conniving with the smirk she had on. But Sooyoung decided to bite her tongue and say nothing about it, because she could not raise suspicion. 

Not now, anyway. 

"Sooyoung?"

"Huh?"

"Gahyeon says that you guys know each other!"

"Oh yeah..." Sooyoung started. "We knew each other once..."

"Well, more than once." Gahyeon clarifies. "We go waaaayyy back."

"Really? Small world!" Jiwoo exclaimed. 

"I guess we are all just meant to be together, yeah?" 

"I'd say!"

"Anyway, Jiwoo, I was thinking..." The maid begins. "Your parents are giving me next week off, so I was wondering if we could hang out for a while and catch up."

"Really? I'd love to but I have a TV show to film next week and then a lot of interviews..."

"Will you still be in Seoul?"

"Oh, yeah I will."

"Then I could just stay with one of my friends while you work and then hang out on your free time." Gahyeon said, placing her hand on top of Jiwoo's.

"Sure, I mean I haven't seen you in half a year, so I can do that!"

"Great! I missed you so much..."

Sooyoung sipped her drink, rolling her eyes at the obvious sarcasm. Jiwoo, however, did not catch on to it, and instead sympathized with her.

"Aw, me too!" Jiwoo said, bringing her dear friend into a tight hug.

While Gahyeon was hugging her, she smirked at Sooyoung, who then rolled her eyes again.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" 

Jiwoo's mother walked back into the room, quickly apologizing. Behind her was man who Sooyoung assumed was her father. He looked intimidating, wearing a black suit and a grievous facial expression. 

"What are you doing sitting around?" The father said, directed at Gahyeon, slight anger in his tone. "Your job is not to sit around and socialize. Don't start getting lazy just because I decided to give you a week off."

"Sorry, Mr. Kim." The maid stood up and bowed politely, before excusing herself out of the room. 

"Dad, you didn't have to be rude." Jiwoo contested. "She was just catching up with me after half a year. Learn to be considerate, please."

"So, you finally decided to be a good daughter and come to see us?"

"Chin-Hwa, please!" The mother complained. "Be nice! Now is not the time! Please just sit and eat."

The old man sighed but complied with his wife and sat down at the dinner table. While the mother was getting his food, he looked at Sooyoung, analyzing.

"Who's this?"

"My girlfriend."

"So you're still interested in girls?"

"Honey, please be respectful!"

"Yes, and that's not changing so get over it." Jiwoo gritted her teeth. 

Sooyoung watched as Jiwoo was silently fuming at her father's comment. But, at the same time, she seemed frustrated like she was used to it already.

"Hm, I just thought your first girlfriend would have taught you a lesson, but I guess not."

"Let's just change the subject!" Mrs. Kim cooperated. "So, honey, why don't share your news! I'm sure Jiwoo would like to know!"

Mr. Kim huffed. "Fine. But anyway, it's good that she knows since it's good to be aware."

"What?"

"I'm sure you've heard about the attacks lately. It's tragic, and something must be done. So, we are investing into the SRPC in order to protect our city."

Sooyoung perked up.

"You know that place is really corrupted." Jiwoo noted. "They're only in it for the money. They don't want to save us, they just hate all hybrids in general and want to use them."

"And you don't hate those creatures? They are practically animals and we have to dispose of them."

"I actually like hybrids, there are just like us! All they want is a better life, just like any of us, most of them are genuine people!"

"Jiwoo, they are out to kill all of us! They already killed our people, then they attacked the Times Square Mall! Who knows where they are going to attack next! So, we invested money to help the SRPC with weapons and new tactics to protect us. You cannot trust any of those heathens."

"But there's other ways! We don't have to target a whole race over a group of people's crimes."

"We have to hold all of them accountable and if means they all get punished, then so be it."

"And that's why I can't get ever get along with you! You're just heartless!" Jiwoo shouted out, she grabbed Sooyoung's hand. "Let's go. I can't stand to be around him anymore."

"Jiwoo, wait!" The mother called, but Jiwoo was already walking out of the dining room, dragging Sooyoung along with her.

They hurried out of the mansion, ignoring all the confused faces of the staff. The red head kept walking until the reached beyond the gates and the mansion was out of sight.

"Jiwoo, hold on." 

Jiwoo stopped with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, I just can't STAND my father! He's just a racist and homophobic bastard. This was just the last straw! And then my mother just puts up with it and never holds him accountable! I mean, how could he do that to your kind?"

"There are people like that, unfortunately. We're used to it." Sooyoung sighed.

"But, you guys don't deserve to be treated so poorly!!" Jiwoo cried out, eyes welling with tears. "You guys are no different from us! I don't understand how anyone could be so disrespectful! I don't want you or your friends to get hurt! I just..."

"It's okay, I get it...." Sooyoung started. "I don't want my friends to get hurt either. But, there's nothing we do. Everyone is on edge right now. All we have to do is hope the others can solve this mystery before the wrong people find it first."

"And then? That won't change how the public feels. They'll still hate you."

"That's just how people are. Even back home, people still hate humans. We have a rough history and we're too stubborn to let it go. We won't get over anytime soon, but maybe overtime, it'll get better."

Jiwoo sniffled and wiped her watery eyes.

"Yeah, you're right... I'm sorry for getting so emotional."

"It's okay, that's not a bad thing. I'm glad that you care some much. There's not a lot of people who sympathize with us."

Jiwoo smiled and they two of them hugged closely. 

"Thank you." 

"No problem, babe."

After a minute of affection, they headed to the hybrid's car so they could drive off. 

Sooyoung had a lot to think about. With Jiwoo's father, to Gahyeon, there was a lot to go over. But it is not like she could do much about it.

Maybe now she was regretting more of her decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Hyejoo and Chaewon finally kissed each other! Things are going pretty fast between them, with more questions being brought up. More will be explained soon! In other news, Heejin opened up a bit about what herself and hybrids go through, which is a step up for her. Then we met Jiwoo's parents and a mysterious new friend named Gahyeon. Their role will be more important later. We also got to see a more sympathetic side of Sooyoung. You can tell she's weak for her and ultimately wants the best for her. Finally, we finally met Yeojin! Even though her role is small now, she will have more of larger role in the future, especially with Yerim. Now all 12 are here, so things should escalate soon! Anyway, tell me what you think of this chapter! 
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, follow my Insta: @gowhyejuu


	5. 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the more I see, the more I want to touch  
> the more I touch, the more I want hold you close  
> the more I hold you, I can't help it that...  
> 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"So, I was wondering..."

Hyejoo nervously bit her lip as Chaewon looked at her curiously. The latter placed her pet's food in front of them respectively and fully gave the hybrid her attention.

"Yes?"

"So, I don't know what's happening between us, but I think I like you? Like, I would like to get to know you better and.... possibly date you? I don't know why I'm phrasing it like that, but I just- god, I'm messing this up so bad... Look, all I'm saying is-"

"Sure."

"Huh?"

Chaewon giggles. "I'm guessing you're asking me out on a date. So, sure."

"Wait, you're serious?" Hyejoo asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I mean, I've never been on a date since I usually don't try.... But, I think I like you too so I'd like to try now."

"Oh...wow."

"What?"

Hyejoo chuckles. "I didn't think I would make it this far."

Chaewon rippled out laughs.

"Well, you did! I'm going to make us breakfast-"

Hyejoo cut her off by slamming her lips onto Chaewon's. They kissed each other for a few minutes, lost in the flaming and addictive feeling. Hyejoo caressed her cheek with her thumb while Chaewon braced herself on the hybrid's shoulder. They eventually pulled back, breathless. 

"Thank you..." Hyejoo said.

"No problem..." Chaewon smiled before walking off to the kitchen, as Hyejoo watched her with heart eyes.

"So I see you're getting along with Chaewon?"

Hyejoo snapped out of her trance, and saw the married couple walk out of the bedroom.

"Huh, oh yeah... You could say that."

Jinsoul rolled her eyes. "I CAN because you seemed to enjoy kissing her, don't you?"

"Wait, you guys saw that?" Hyejoo exclaimed, eyes blown eyes.

"I mean, duh! Both times!" Jungeun giggled. "You guys were making out in the middle of the floor right in view of our bedroom, so of course!"

Hyejoo turned shy and her cheeks burned. 

"And, by the looks of it, you guys REALLY enjoyed it, huh?" 

"Whatever..." Hyejoo pouted, embarrassed.

The couple laughed. 

"So, you guys are going on a date?" Jinsoul asked. 

"Yeah, we are, I just hope it goes well..."

"It will!" Jungeun smiled. "Just be yourself and fun! She already likes you anyway."

"I know but... I haven't dated anyone for a long time, and it didn't go well that time. I don't want to fuck it up."

Ever since her last girlfriend, Hyejoo felt insecure about falling in love again. The girl was her first, and it when it did not work as well as she hoped, it really messed with how she felt about relationships. Of course, she still stayed open minded about finding someone new, but sometimes Hyejoo blamed herself for her bad luck. Sometimes she felt that she was meant to be alone.

"Hyejoo, I understand how you feel." Jinsoul reassured. "I went through plenty of times where I would be nervous. After dating a few people and having it not work out, I lost hope that I would find someone that I loved. But, you never know unless you try. Chaewon is a loving and compassionate girl just by what we've seen. Somehow, you guys seem to have some type of special bond between the two of you and I bet it's there for a reason. So, don't stress, be calm, and it will all work out."

"Yeah, and besides," Jungeun added on. "I bet you guys are meant to be together. You can call me crazy all you want, but I have a skill at sensing these things. And that sense is telling me that you guys got something special."

"Thank you guys..." Hyejoo said, thankfully.

"Guys, food is ready!!" Chaewon called out from the kitchen. 

Before heading to the kitchen, Jinsoul put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"I know it will go well. Just be confident."

Hyejoo nodded, grateful over her friends' advice. All she could do at this point was be positive and hope this turns out better than she ever hoped.

***

After the breakfast, Hyejoo and Chaewon decided that this was the best time for them to go on their date, while Jinsoul and Jungeun would go check up on Haseul and Kahei. They would meet back at 4 pm, which gave them plenty of time to spend with one another. 

"So, where are we heading?" Hyejoo asked, walking down the street with Chaewon.

"I don't know, actually. I've never been on a date so..." Chaewon said worriedly.

"I don't mind going anywhere, I've never been to Earth before so anyplace is fine."

"I don't know yet but...maybe we could just walk and talk for a while." 

Hyejoo smiled and nodded. "Sure. What about?"

"Um..." Chaewon bit her lip. "I actually wondered...how is it being a hybrid?"

"Mm, I mean, it isn't amazing but I like being one." Hyejoo claimed. 

"So, do you have special abilities?"

"Mhm, yeah. We all do. There are universal powers such as flight, super strength and speed, and we don't get hurt as easily as you guys do. Our senses are also heightened and can heal faster. Then there are powers that are based on what type you are. I am a flame hybrid so I can control and create fire. We're also the strongest out of all the types. All my friends have different abilities since we're all different types." 

"That's so cool!" The blonde exclaimed. "You must enjoy having all that."

"Yeah, I do. But it's not all amazing. Every type has their flaws. For example, I'm weak to the cold and it causes me to break down. Also, flame dragons can get very angered easily and are over protective of what they claim."

"So do you have anger issues?"

"Well, not as much as other dragons but yeah. I think living with Jungeun and Jinsoul helped me cool down. But, if I get really angry, it can get crazy." The hybrid chuckled.

"And...is that why you're protective of me?"

Hyejoo, taken aback by the question, paused for a moment before confessing:

"Yeah." 

"Well then, that makes more sense." Chaewon joked. 

A short pause.

"So, you guys can transform right? Does it hurt?"

"Yeah, we can and it's pretty easy. It's hurts the first few times, but your body gets used to it after that. But most hybrids use their human forms and use their dragon forms when fighting or as a defense. Once we learn how to transform, we usually never change back unless necessary."

"When was the last time you were in your dragon form?"

"Less than 4 years ago."

"How come?"

"U-Uh..." Hyejoo stuttered uncomfortably, while avoiding eye contact with the blonde. 

"I'd... rather not talk about it."

Chaewon watches the hybrid's fidgeting and immediately dropped the subject. Although it did worry her slightly over her reaction, she feels bad for asking her something that clearly was a sensitive spot for her.

"That's fine uh...OH!" Chaewon exclaimed. "I know where we should go!"

"Where?"

"It might be a weird place to have a date but I think you'll like it!"

Hyejoo nodded. "Uh... Okay! So where do we-"

"Close your eyes."

"What? Why?"

"Please?" The blonde begs. "It's a surprise!"

"Fine, fine! I'm doing it." 

Hyejoo then closed her eyes. She feels Chaewon hold her hand and began guiding her slowly down the sidewalk.

"You better not open them!"

"No promises, sweetie." The hybrid humored. 

Chaewon whines a little, making Hyejoo laugh. But ultimately, she gives in.

"Okay, fine. No peeking- ah!"

Hyejoo, not being able to see what was in front of her, trips over a crack in the sidewalk as Chaewon speeds up.

"Don't kill me!" Hyejoo chortled.

"I'm not trying to!"

"Are you secretly taking me to my death?"

"I mean, I could..." Chaewon teased. "But, then again, you would probably just transform and burned me to dust so..."

Hyejoo laughed even more. "Probably, yeah. But you're too beautiful to murder."

By the way Chaewon clenched on her hand, Hyejoo could tell that she was caught off guard by the compliment.

"I'm not..."

"Yeah, you are. But too bad I can't that pretty face because somebody doesn't want me to open my eyes."

Chaewon giggled. "Well, too bad."

"Oh well, I'll guess I'll have to settle with hearing your beautiful voice."

Chaewon stopped walking. "I-" 

Hyejoo chuckled and intertwined her fingers with the blonde. She gave her a soft peck on the cheek.

"Don't we have somewhere to be, sweetheart?"

"I hate you."

***

"You didn't have to do this."

Kahei walked up to Jinsoul with a tea kettle and poured some tea into her cup. 

"Nonsense! You're my guests!" Kahei dismissed. "Besides, you guys saved me."

"It was nothing, really." Jungeun commented. "To be honest, we wouldn't have known if it wasn't for Sooyoung! She brought you to us."

"I wish I knew who that was so I could thank her." Kahei said, sitting down on the couch next to Haseul. 

"So, are you sure you've never met her? Because she seemed really hurt when we saw her, like you guys were close."

"No, I'm sorry. I've never met a Sooyoung ever. Maybe if I see her, though, I could recognize if we were close."

"Honestly, I doubt we'll see her again." Jinsoul doubted, sipping her tea. "We haven't seen her in a week."

"We could ask Jiwoo about her." Jungeun suggested. "Maybe she could convince her to come see us again?"

"She won't. Not unless she actually becomes honest with us."

"If you don't mind me asking," Kahei started, changing the subject. "Why are you here on Earth?"

"To help you guys with all the sudden dragon ambushes all over your city." The aqua hybrid replied. "We know there is a gang, or gangs, that are causing this but we have barely any leads."

"Yeah, all we know is that it MIGHT have to do with SRPC, but we don't have much evidence." Jungeun added.

"Oh yeah, I know about that place. It's very infamous." Kahei began. "Unfortunately, my parents supported that place for years. They live in Hong Kong, but they were very prominent businesspeople coming from a major company so they often reached out all over the world."

"Do you know anything about the place?" Jinsoul asked.

"No, I never got involved with what my parents did. But, I know that they are really focused in analyzing dragon life and developing weapons and such. There were a lot of experiments too, but not search of what. But that was almost a decade ago, I haven't seen my parents in a while."

"Experiments?..."

"Yep, at least that's what I remember. But I'm not surprised, that place is corrupt inside and out."

"I don't get how you guys support this company when they're known for those horrid things." Jungeun questioned, somewhat baffled.

"A lot of things are corrupted, but most people do not want to do a thing about it. They do not care of who is hurt, just how they can benefit from it." Haseul sighed, joining in the conversation for a moment.

Jinsoul and Jungeun looked at Haseul worriedly and frowned. Kahei noticed this, but assume it was personal, so kept silent about it.

"Right..." Jinsoul sighed. "Um, anyway, hopefully we can solve this soon."

"Don't you guys have leaders who could help, if I'm not mistaken?" Kahei asked.

"Yes, we have a council. My parents and Jungeun's parents are part of the court of our specific types. Then there are the dragon leaders from each type. But most find this issue trivial and "not their problem". They don't understand that this could be bad for both sides, but no one listens." Jinsoul said. 

"This could cause time to repeat itself and another war, which I don't think anyone wants except for those responsible for the attacks." Jungeun noted.

"Do you think it could really happen? Another war?" Kahei asked, worried.

"Honestly," the aqua hybrid sighed. "Yeah, it could. Tensions are at an all-time high. I wouldn't be surprised if it happened at this point. So, we need to intervene before it's too late."

"G-Got it... Wow..."

"Would you guys like some more tea?" Haseul asked. 

"Sure, do you remember how I taught you to make it with that?"

Haseul nodded at Kahei. "Yeah. I'll be back soon."

And with that, the frost hybrid walked off with the tea kettle in hand. 

When the couple noticed she was out of view, they quickly turn to the human with questions.

"How is it going with Haseul?" Jungeun asked.

"Oh, great! She is nice company!"

"Has she done anything...strange?"

"Uh, no... Nothing much. She just seems distant most of the time. But that's not a bad thing in the slightest! I like how calm and sensible she is."

The hybrids looked at each other, surprised.

"That's...good." Jinsoul concluded.

"Really good..." Jungeun agreed.

"What?" Kahei questioned, puzzled by her guests' reactions. 

"Oh it's nothing!" The fauna hybrid dismissed. "It's fine! She just...usually doesn't settle in easy with new people. That's why we couldn't bring Sooyoung with us since Haseul didn't know her and would get uncomfortable. But, it seems like she's comfortable with you."

"I did get that impression at first, especially when she first saw me. But now, she is little more open and talking a bit more."

Jungeun beamed.

"I'm happy to hear that, honestly! I'm so used to her being so quiet and avoiding people! But, maybe this is a sign for the better!"

"Yeah, about that," Kahei started. "Why does Haseul so afraid? You don't have to tell me but sometimes I worry about her when she says stuff like what she did earlier. And when I saw your faces, it kinda confirmed it to me that something was wrong."

"Well... it's not really my place to say. I think, if she becomes closer with you, she will share something but i don't want to say it before she is ready to share with anyone else. Although, with how things are going, I don't think it will be long."

"I won't push her or anything since it's probably not my business. I will be patient, and even if she never shared, I won't mind. I'm just scared for her, that's all."

"Understood." Jinsoul comprehended. "I think Haseul needs more people like you in her life. She doesn't get that much where she is from. Most dragons there don't care about others."

"Really? That's unfortunate."

Just as this was said, Haseul came back with the tea kettle in hand. 

"Anyone need another fill of tea?"

"Yes, please."

Kahei held out her cup for Haseul to pour the tea. 

"Thank you, Haseul."

The frost hybrid nodded and began to pour the drink. When she finished, Haseul held a look at Kahei. Unsure what to say, she simply smiled graciously. Kahei smiled back, partly understanding what Haseul was trying to say, but I could not. 

Maybe Kahei will never know what is going on in the head of the hybrid. However, if she did, maybe then more things will make sense. 

***

"Keep your eyes closed!"

Chaewon carefully guided Hyejoo by the hand into the place of their first date. She was nervous that the hybrid would not like it. But, she knew that Hyejoo had an interest in this, so there was a good chance it would turn out well.

"Chaewon? What are you doi-"

The blonde quickly shushed her friend. She motioned towards a door in the back and her friend quickly understood. She walked them to the back and opened the door.

"Are we there yet?" Hyejoo asked, growing impatient.

"Yes, just a few more steps!"

Chaewon brought her a little closer and let go of her hand. She picked up something off the ground before speaking to the hybrid. Before opening her eyes, Hyejoo could off sworn she heard a few small yelps.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now!"

Without hesitation, Hyejoo opened her eyes. As soon as she saw what Chaewon was holding and what was on the floor surrounding her, her eyes widened and mouth gaped. 

"Wh-"

"Surprise!"

Hyejoo stood there in awe at the small puppy Chaewon had in her hands. The small yelps she heard earlier came from a bunch of little puppies that we're all over the carpet floor, playing around. Hyejoo had no idea what to say.

"I know it isn't much but," Chaewon began. "I noticed you seem to like pets, so I thought this would be a nice place to go! We can play with puppies for a while and then we can go to the cafe I work at for few bites! I hope you like it..."

"Chaewon.... I....don't know what to say..." Hyejoo said, speechless.

"It's nothing, really. I just wanted to make you happy after all the terrible things that's been happening lately!" 

Hyejoo did not even know how to thank her. It may seem small, but it really showed to the hybrid how much the blonde knew what made her happy and clearly cared about her. Hyejoo never got to spend much time with animals. She had a dog in the past, but pets where she came from did not last long. So she would never expected to be in this situation.

So, instead of words, she simply pulled Chaewon into a tight hug and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. 

"Thank you..."

Chaewon blushed.

"Y-Yeah, no problem..."

"Hey, I'm here too!"

The two turned towards Chaewon's friend, who playfully acted offended.

"Oh, sorry!" Chaewon apologized. "Hyejoo, this is Shin Yuna! A highschool friend!"

"And, manager of this pet store!" Yuna added, cheerfully. "So, you're the girl that Chaewon is dating?"

"Huh?" Hyejoo said, confusedly. "How did you know we were dating?"

"One of my workers told me about you coming in with Chaewon and how cute you too looked! I just assumed that you guys were secretly dating, and I guess I was right!"

The dating pair blushed, making the manager laugh at their faces.

"I'm glad Chaewon finally got herself a date. I thought she would forever be alone!"

"I was just being patient!" Chaewon protested.

"Sure, sure..." Yuna said, rolling her eyes playfully. "So, I assume you guys want to stay here for a while?"

"Yeah, maybe an hour or so?" Chaewon responded. "If you don't mind, of course."

"Of course you can! You are my friend so I can allow as long as you want!" Yuna said. "Actually, it's feeding time for these little guys so you guys can help out!"

"So fun! Ready Hyejoo?" 

Hyejoo softly smiled at the blonde.

"Let's do it."

"Great! Let me go get the food so we can start!"

Yuna walked out and, after a few moments, came back with holding bottles and few blankets in her hands.

"Hyejoo, would you like to go first?"

"Uh, yeah sure!" Hyejoo responded, growing in excitement. 

"Okay, watch me so you know how to do it."

Chaewon handed the puppy over to Hyejoo, who held her carefully and carried it over Yuna. They both say down on the carpet, then the manager handed a bottle and blanket over to Hyejoo before getting her own. She picked up a puppy of her own and began giving instructions.

"First, wrap it in the blanket and lay it on its stomach. It may squirm so don't be alarmed!"

Hyejoo watched as Yuna did this and followed suit. It was true, the puppy did more around quite a bit but she was able to do it.

"Great! Now take the bottle and place the nipple up to the puppy's mouth."

Hyejoo watched Yuna do what she said, as the puppy promptly latched on and began sucking. She watched in awe at the purity and cuteness of the animal as it was feeding. She began eager so placed the milk bottle up to her puppy's mouth. When the puppy began feeding, she felt a feeling of joy swelling. She never knew she would feel this happy about doing such a basic task, but it did.

Along with the happy feeling, Hyejoo felt something warm expanding in her chest. She could feel eyes on her, and looked up to see Chaewon staring lovingly at her. When they met eyes, the warm feeling grew and they shared a sincere smile. They completely forgot about what was going on around them as they got lost in each other.

"Disgusting. You guys really ARE in love!" Yuna teased, fake gagging. 

They snapped out of their trance and laughed at the manager's comment. 

They continued to feed all of the puppies and eventually started to play with them. Chaewon watched in admiration as Hyejoo played with puppies with a bright smile on her face. The blonde was never seen the hybrid smile this much since they met so it was a nice sight to see. After an hour, they decided it was good time to head to the cafe, giving them two hours until they had to head back home. They said bye to Yuna and headed out.

After walking for almost ten minutes, they made to the cafe and stood in line. When they got up to the counter, the cashier stood there surprised. 

"Chaewon!" The cashier exclaimed. "What are you doing here on a weekend?"

"Hey, Shi-ah! Just here on a, uh, date." The blonde said with a blush.

"Wait, seriously?? Miss Park Chaewon is dating someone??" Shi-ah asked in shock. "Wow, we love character development."

"Yeah, uh, so we-"

"Say no more!" Shi-ah interrupted. "Go have a seat! I've got this!"

"But what about paying?"

"Don't worry about it, it's on the house! No, go!"

Chaewon sighed and complied with her co-worker's demands. Of course, she should of expected something like this when it came to her co-workers. Part of her wished she had went somewhere else so they do not embarrass her.

"So, are your co-workers always like that?" Hyejoo asked as the tool their seat at a vacant table. 

"Yeah, sadly. They're always looking for new ways to embarrass me." Chaewon pouted, making the hybrid laugh.

"What do you think they're going to do?"

"I don't know but..." The blonde looked behind the hybrid at Shi-ah and Chaewon's other co-worker Seunghee conversing and giggling. "...I have a bad feeling about this."

Chaewon groaned when it seemed like she was right. 

Shi-ah and Seunghee came up to them with a whole tray of treats, which included macarons, cinnamon rolls, and other sweets. They also set down two drinks that had a rainbow ombre going from top to bottom. Everything was brought and colorful, and somewhat aesthetically pleasing, but Chaewon was just wondering how they were going to finish all of this.

"This is what we call the "Lover's Menu"!" Shi-ah explained. "Tons of sweets and a rainbow drink for the gays!"

The blonde cocked an eyebrow. 

"But we don't have a "Lover's Menu"."

"We do now for you!" Seunghee exclaimed. "Now, enjoy your date lovebirds!"

The two workers walked away happily, leaving the dating pair utterly confused.

"Well, um," Hyejoo began, chuckling. "I guess we better get started!"

Chaewon sighed. "Yeah, I'm sorry for them..."

"No worries, babe, I don't care. I was getting really hungry anyway!"

They genuinely smiled at each other and began eating their tray of treats. Hyejoo, not ever eating any these types of food, immediately fell it love with cinnamon rolls and pretty much to the whole thing to herself, which Chaewon happily obliged. They conversed and told each other random stories from their past. It was soothing and both girls did not want this day to end. But, eventually, it was almost 3:45 pm, meaning it was time for them to head home. They finished a lot more than they originally thought they would, but they still had leftovers so they asked Shi-ah to give them a bag so they could save for later and took their halfway finished drinks with them. 

As they were about to leave, something caught Hyejoo's attention. Or, more specifically, a certain spoken comment.

"I can't believe those disgusting hybrids are living here."

Hyejoo had a double take and looked to wear the comment came from. It was from a table occupied by two females, who was a couple feet away from where she and Chaewon were standing. 

"Yeah," one of the females agreed. "like those animals should of stayed where they came from."

"Exactly, we don't need those *things* to be here. All they do is bring trouble with them."

The hybrid could feel herself fuming at the conversation. Although she was angered by their words, she was not surprised by them. Unfortunately, that did not make it any better.

"Hyejoo..." Chaewon said, tugging on Hyejoo's arm. "Just ignore them and let's go."

"Hold on a second."

"Do you think they carry diseases?" The second girl asked. 

"Of course they do, they're wild animals. They probably have rabies or something."

"That sounds awful!"

"You know what I've heard?"

"What?"

"That most of them can never get a solid partner because most of those things are just sluts who just screw any bitch they can get their hands on. That's why most of the have AIDS."

The second girl laughed, "I knew it!"

At this point, Chaewon had to hold Hyejoo back from practically pouncing on them. But, eventually, Hyejoo paused and came up with an idea. She smirked.

"What?" Chaewon asked, suspicious of what the smirk meant.

Hyejoo simply held out her hand subtlety and contorted it into different hand motions. Chaewon was confused, but followed the hybrid's eyes until it reached the drinks on the rude girls' table.

After ten seconds, Hyejoo nodded in satisfaction.

"What did you do?..." Chaewon questioned.

Hyejoo let out a sinister chuckle. 

"Watch."

They stood quietly and watched for a few moments. The first female went to grab her drink.

"Honestly, I wish they would all- OW!!"

The woman had only held the drink for less than second before shouting out and dropping the drink out of her hand. Unfortunately, the drink breaks open as it lands on the female, causing whatever liquid was in it to spill all over her clothes, making her exclaim more. Everyone in the same area turned to look what was going on.

"It's hot!!" she exclaimed, standing up and shaking. "It burns!!"

"What??"

The second woman stood up and quickly took the napkins to try to wipe away the drink off the clothing.

"This was one my favorite outfits!! No it's ruined!!"

Hyejoo couldn't help but chortle at the display, sipping her own drink while watching.

"But I thought the drink is supposed to be cold? You picked it up earlier?"

"I did, but how??"

"I don't know but how about you take my drink?"

The second female began to reach for her own drink.

"Here, have mi- AHH!"

She quickly let go of the hot drink, which hit the first woman, creating a new hot stain on her shirt.

"You little shit!" 

"I-I'm sorry! I don't know what happened!"

"I'm going to kill you!!"

The woman was about to pounce and her friend if it was not for fellow bystanders intervening and calming her down.

Hyejoo just simply let out another chuckle.

"You did that, didn't you?" 

"Yep." Hyejoo confirmed. "You say shit like that around me, prepare for the consequences."

"Wow, you're such a little angry devil, aren't you?" Chaewon joked, poking the hybrid in the side.

Hyejoo laughed but smirking once more. "You could say that." 

After enjoying the show for a little while, they left the shop and headed home, still laughing about the incident.

***

"Did you seriously do that JUST because she said that?"

"Yes!" Hyejoo complained to Jinsoul. "She was being a bitch so why not burn her with her drink?"

"So much for "laying low"..." 

"I wish I had been there!" Jungeun said, taking a treat out of the leftover bag. "Sounds hilarious!"

"It was! You should have seen her face! She looked so pissed!" Hyejoo laughed.

"Man, next time let me join in on your dates!"

"Well, at least you two had fun..." Jinsoul sighed, taking a bite of a macaron from the bag. "Mm, what is this?"

"Macarons. It's like a cookie sandwich but with a sweet filling inside!" Chaewon responded.

"Wow, it's really good!" Jungeun commented, taking more bites. "I could eat like twenty more of these! Can you get more?"

"Honey, you said you were planning to cut back on sugary foods." 

"That was before I knew THESE existed!" The fauna hybrid took out another one as the aqua hybrid shook her head in disappointment. 

"So, how is Kahei and Haseul doing?" Hyejoo asked.

"They're okay. Kahei looks like she's recovering fast. Also, Haseul is actually being more open than usual." Jinsoul replied.

"Really? That's a first!" Hyejoo noted, surprised. "Maybe things are getting better."

"I doubt it but at least she is trying to connect with people more."

"Yeah, it's great she has someone she can feel connected to."

As Hyejoo said this, the warm feeling from earlier was back and she felt eyes on her. She looked next to her to see Chaewon watching and smiling at her graciously. Hyejoo smiled back.

Without any words, she knew.

But then, something happened next completely caught her off guard.

*'Just like how I feel a connection with you.'*

Hyejoo's eyes blew wide when she heard a strange voice inside her head. If she was not mistaken, it sounded exactly like-

*'Chaewon. I think I can hear her thoughts.'*

*'What?'*

Chaewon and Hyejoo looked at each other in amazement at their new discovery.

*'So, you can hear my thoughts'* Chaewon asked in thought.

*'Yeah? I guess we can talk to each other telepathically?..'*

*'So, we can use telepathy on each other?'*

*'I guess so!'*

*'That's so weird...but cool! But wait, isn't this an invasion of privacy?'*

*'Yeah, but what do you possibly have to keep from me, sweetheart?'* The hybrid teased, smirking.

The blonde blushed. *'N-Nothing!'*

*'Oh really? Do you think about me often?'*

*'Maybe...'*

*'How cute. I can't wait to hear them.'*

Chaewon let on an awkward laugh while Hyejoo watched her fondly. This new discovery was something they could of never expected, but maybe it was all apart of their strange connection they had. But, as of right now, they were not complaining.

"Um, are you two alright?" Jinsoul interrupted, watching them in puzzlement. 

"Yeah but," Hyejoo started. "I think we can talk to each other in our thoughts."

Jungeun chocked on her macaron and stared at the youngest in disbelief.

"Wait, what??"

"Yeah, we just had a conversation without even speaking! It was pretty-" 

"That is not possible!!" Jungeun exclaimed. "Not between a hybrid and human!!"

"What are you talking about?" Hyejoo questioned.

"You guys have a bond!" 

"I mean, yeah, we do like each other..."

"No! I mean, an ACTUAL bond! A blood bond, o think! Wow..." Jungeun stood there in awe, making the younger two more confused.

"What is that?" Chaewon asked.

"It's like soulmates! Except a little more complicated!"

"How?"

"It means you guys are born to be one." Jinsoul started explaining. "When two people of a blood bond meet they begin to go through a sort of transformation. You guys begin to feel something towards one another, a different feeling then you have ever felt towards anyone else. Then, you guys can sense each other's emotions, whether good or bad. You begin to have a stronger understanding of one another and then that leads to what just happened, which is hearing each other's thoughts. Eventually, you guys will become completely in tune with the other and feel closer to the other then you yourselves could ever understand."

"So, that explains what's been happening between us." Hyejoo realized. "It's all part of the process."

"Exactly."

"I wish I would have noticed sooner!" Jungeun exclaimed. "I just thought you guys were just being in love and awkward!"

"So, we are soulmates?..."

Chaewon looked at Hyejoo, and when they met eyes, they shared a fond look. 

"Oh my god, you guys are so adorable!" Jungeun cooed.

"I guess there's going to be two couples living here." Jinsoul bantered. "That's probably going to get annoying."

"I think that would cute!" Jungeun disagreed. "I mean, we could go a double dates!"

"AND, I don't have to feel like the third wheel when you guys are all lovey dovey." Hyejoo added with slight playful resentment. 

Jungeun sniffled and squished the youngest's cheeks.

"My baby has a soulmate! You're growing up so fast!"

"Ya! Stop babying me!" Hyejoo whined, pouting.

"Never! I practically adopted you! You're always my little baby!" The fauna hybird said while pinching the flame hybrid's cheeks, making her groan. Then Jungeun turned to Chaewon.

"But wait! That would make you like my daughter in law!" Jungeun said, moving from Hyejoo to hugging Chaewon closely. "So I guess I have two now!"

"Wait, but we're not married-"

"-yet." Jungeun said, ended her phrase. "Just give it time." 

"Uh.."

Chaewon looked at the other two standing there, confused, while Hyejoo just rolled her eyes and Jinsoul chuckled.

"Yeah, I could actually see that." Jinsoul humored, watching them in amusement. "We'd be like one weird happy family."

"I don't know about "happy"...." Hyejoo said, clearly annoyed.

"Um, Jungeun..." Chaewon interrupts with an uncomfortable expression. "Too tight!..."

"Oh, sorry!" Jungeun apologizes, pulling away. 

Hyejoo sighed. *'Wow, thanks for trying to squeeze my baby to death.'*

"Aw, I'm okay Hyejoo!" Chaewon reassured. "She didn't mean it."

"Wait, what-"

"Aw! You really do care about her!" Jungeun cooed, teasing her. 

"I don't think Hyejoo even cared about us that much." Jinsoul noted jokingly.

"Right? She's so in love!"

"I hate you all so maybe so much."

Chaewon giggled at the comment, making Hyejoo's frustration fade away just like that. Normally, when she was frustrated, she would stay like that for a while. Now, all it took was a cute gesture from her soulmate to make her happy.

*'Man,'* Hyejoo thought. *'Maybe I am awkward and in love'*

***

"I never thought you would have this kind of job."

Hyunjin and Heejin heard a ding and the elevator opened on the floor they needed to be, prompting them to walk out. They headed down the hallway, through the offices and cubicles. Heejin took note of the amount of people that saturated the area, with how crowded it was. The hybrid assumed that this must be a common job, but she did not expect Hyunjin would be a part of it.

"Accounting is pretty common in Seoul." Hyunjin explained. "I just joined since I felt like it wouldn't interfere with my research."

"Makes sense. So where are we going?"

"To my department. I just need to do one thing for my boss. It will take about ten minutes and then we'll leave."

"Sounds good to me." Heejin stated. "I just wanted to see where you worked. For some reason, I thought you would be like a writer or something."

"No, that's Chaewon's thing. I don't really have a passion for anything here on Earth. I'm more interested in your world."

"So, why not just full on live with us?" The wind hybrid asked. "My dimension is pretty chill about humans and you already have a house."

"I would, but I have things here I don't want to leave behind. It's not as easy. Otherwise, I would have left years ago."

Heejin hummed at the explanation. She understood since it would be the same if she would were to leave her home behind, so the hybrid agreed.

They finally got to Hyunjin's department and walked over to her cubicle. 

"So, you work here?" 

"Mhm." Hyunjin nodded, sitting down at her desk.

"It's pretty cozy."

"Yeah, it's okay I guess."

"How often do you work here?"

Hyunjin turned on the computer. 

"Every other day, from 9am to 5pm. But, sometimes I have off days."

"Well, then it's not that bad! At least you don't have to work all the time."

"Heejin??"

The hybrid speedily turned around to see a taller, light brown haired girl hurry up to her. 

If Heejin was not mistaken, that looked like-

"Chaeryeong??" Heejin exclaimed in disbelief.

"Heejin, what are you doing here?" Chaeryeong asked. "Do you live here now?"

"No, it's a complicated story but...Ryujin didn't say you worked here!"

"Well, I guess it's not something worth mentioning! But yeah, I do! How's Ryujin doing?"

"She's fine, haven't seen her in a week though."

"That's okay, I just wished I could see my sister."

Chaeryeong and Ryujin were siblings and often came to see each other. Chaeryeong moved to Earth once she turned 18, which is the age most hybrids left, while Ryujin stayed in Zephyrus, the wind hybrid dimension. When first saw them, you could not tell they were related, since Chaeryeong was adopted, but they certainly interacted like they were.

"So what brings you to this place?" 

"I'm here for Hyunjin." Heejin said, motioning to the said female. "She's a close friend. And, yes, she knows about us."

Hyunjin heard her name and raised her head from her computer, waving at Chaeryeong. 

"Hey. I think I've seen you before, right? You're from the department from a level down."

"Yeah! I'm just here to pick up work from the printer since the one in mine is broken." Chaeryeong responds, showing her printed pages.

"No problem. Well it's good to finally meet."

"I'd say! Small world we live in, huh?"

"Agreed."

"Well, at least now I won't be bored waiting from Hyunjin to finish." Heejin said in relief. 

"Hey, YOU decided to come with me."

"Yeah, because YOU asked. AND I was curious so why not?"

Hyunjin rolled her eyes and continued typing on her computer. 

Heejin turned her attention to Chaeryeong, who was watching the two and lightly chuckling.

"So, anyway..."

"Have you heard that they caught the hybrid?"

The trio's attention was peeked by two fellow female co-workers loud conversation nearby.

"Really?"

"Yeah, a few hours ago!" The first woman said, pulling out her phone. "Here, it was on the news."

"Can we see?" Hyunjin asked, increasingly curious.

"Oh, sure Hyunjin!" The woman with the phone said, positioning it so all five of them could see. Once she was sure, she pressed play.

*"Breaking news! We just got word that one of the culprits of last Saturday's mall attack has been captured! They were discovered yesterday night after clues led police to the apartment of the criminal. After questioning, they were found guilty of the crime and will be put to death by tomorrow."

"Death??" Chaeryeong exclaimed.

"Yeah, I mean they deserved it so." The other woman commented. 

"Yeah, but..." Chaeryeong's voice just trailed off, not knowing what to say without raising suspicion.

*"There will be more questioning of the hybrid criminal before the time being so they can find any others that were involved in the crime. The name of the hybrid has been identified as a woman named Han Dong, but not much information has been found on this individual. Police are working to finding more about this hybrid."*

"They aren't going to find much." Heejin said in absolute. "Hybrids are careful about personal info."

"Really?" The woman with the phone said. "How do you know?"

"Uh... Just an assumption..." 

*"The SRPC are working hard on developing more ways of identification for hybrids, and more information will released within the next week."*

"Why is everyone's solution for this is going to that place?? It's super corrupted." Hyunjin questioned in frustration.

"It's the best we've got right now." The second woman tried to reason. "Besides, at least they're trying!"

*'Yeah, trying to kill hybrids or do some sick experiments on them'* 

*"A statement from the SRPC president is as follows: "We at SRPC are working day and night to find these criminals. Hybrids need to learn their place, but unfortunately they seem to be getting the hint and instead want to protest. We are developing new weapons and technology as fast as we can to find them all and put them in their place ourselves. It is important as humans to know that this is not how we deserve to be treated and need to make stance. Updates will be soon."*

The video ended and the woman promptly put her phone in her pocket. 

"If only they could just find all of these criminals instead of targeting all hybrids, but it seems like that's the only to solve it so..." The same woman said, shrugging.

"Oh well, eventually they will."

The two women left, leaving the trio to fully process what the video has said. On one hand, it was good that they found at least one person who was responsible. It was possible that Hyejoo's observation of the dragon scale helped, which was their intention. But, on the other hand, this was bad in the sense of the SRPC's increased involvement.They were only in it to repress hybrids, good or bad, and not to "save the humans" as they say. 

This would only mean that they had to work faster and harder to find the criminals before the SRPC finish their inventions or find them themselves and use them as an example for their sick propaganda. Time was not on their side, but they were at a standstill so their was not much they could do.

"We have to work harder." Hyunjin declared, slightly angered. "This is only getting worse."

"But how? We barely know anything!"

"I think I have a clue about where we can find them or at least get more information. That name gave me an idea. Tommorow morning, we will look into it, you and me. If this means what I think it is, I think we might get a breakthrough."

"Sounds like a plan." Heejin nodded in agreement. 

"So, that's why you're here, Heejin?" Chaeryeong asked.

"Yes, we got impatient so we decided to take things into our hands, along with my friends."

"Well, good luck! Hopefully, you guys can find them first."

Hyunjin turned off the computer, stood up and sighed.

"All we can do is hope that we know they do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was chapter 5! The chapter was mostly focused on building on Hyejoo and Chaewon's relationship, so they got to go on a wholesome date and a brief explanation of what's going on between them. Plus, with Kahei becoming more interested in Haseul and an update on one of the criminal behind the mall attack. Something about the name Han Dong was significant, what do you think it is? You might notice that this fic has a lot of different members from more groups other LOONA, like Oh My Girl, GFriend, ITZY, and Dreamcatcher (with more girl groups to come)! Well some are because I'm just a major girl group stan, but others have significance and relate to things IRL. So you might catch onto things before it's revealed. Not yet, but soon you will. *wink* 
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday! 
> 
> For more info, follow my insta: @gowhyejuu
> 
> Until next time! ♡♡♡


	6. 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> why do you keep messing with my head?  
> all you do is come into my life and mess up everything I was.  
> you change my morals and what I used to think.  
> what is your purpose?  
> why do you make me want to change?  
> 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"I think we should go with Yuri's." Kahei stated, looking at the paper on her desk. "It isn't something you expect from a Christmas story and is different than the other ones we've done in previous years."

"Agreed!" Yeojin cheered, sitting next to Kahei and nodding in agreement. "I like it and kids seemed to like it too! I think it will really be heartwarming!"

"Great, so it's settled. I'm glad Yuri gets to have this chance. She deserves it."

"So, we should probably start casting and making the script!"

"I think it's obvious that the girl should be played by Yuri, since I feel like she fits the role well." Kahei concurred. "Plus, I think it will be good for her."

"That makes sense! And then all the kids can play all of the people they meet along the way! And then maybe one of them can play the angel."

"Actually, I was thinking..." The older woman began. "I feel like the woman should be played by an older woman. It could feel more mature and heartfelt that way."

"You think?" Yeojin said curiously. "I guess we could if we can get all the kids to play the other characters besides the parents. Who do you have in mind?"

"I thought we could use Haseul."

"That girl you came with last Friday?"

"Yes," Kahei confirmed. "She seemed really touch by the story so I think she would fit that role well."

"Sure, if she's down to do it!"

That was the thing. Kahei did not know if the hybrid was okay with doing this. They never talked about it and Haseul did not seem like the type to have any attention on her.

But, it was worth a try.

***

"No."

"Come on, please!!" Kahei begged as Haseul finished giving the older woman her medicine. "You would be perfect for the role!"

"I am sorry, but I do not think I am right for it."

"You are, trust me! And besides, it would be fun!"

Haseul sighed. "No, thank you..."

Kahei huffed in frustration, partly pouting. She understood what the brunette meant, because she would feel the same. But the pink haired woman knew that she could play the role, but all she needed was a push.

"I saw your reaction to the story. And... I know it struck something with you."

Haseul, who was about to walk away, stood in place and turned around to face her.

"Look, I'm not saying it's a must, but I feel like because you fully understood and felt something for the story, I think you should try. And if you can't do it, then it's okay. But, it's all up to you."

Haseul stared at her and stayed quiet for a couple of seconds.

"Okay."

Kahei mouth gaped in disbelief. "Really?"

"Yes, I will try. As long as the role is not challenging." Haseul clarified. "I would also like to help you."

"Oh my god, thank you Haseul!"

"It is okay. I am just-"

Kahei threw herself on the hybrid and hugged her tightly.

"I really appreciate you for this!"

Haseul stood there motionless as the human hugged her. She did not how to react, her brain short circuiting. Kahei noticed this and pulled away to see Haseul's uncomfortable expression. She shortly after let go of her.

"Sorry," Kahei said apologetically. "I just got too excited...."

"I am going to the bathroom." Haseul said, voice shaky and eyes unsure.

As she walked away, Kahei knocked herself in the head. Of course, she was awkward about physical touch, it was so obvious. Part of Kahei wanted to go and see her, but clearly this was sensitive topic for so she let her be for now. But she still felt awful over what she did.

This was probably what Jungeun was talking about, Kahei wonders. Haseul was mysterious, and this only made her more worried.

***

"Double date number one is a go!"

"Stop calling it that!"

Hyejoo, Chaewon, Jinsoul and Jungeun walked into the Christmas store. They were greeted by cheery Christmas music and bright lights and decorations.

"Why not?" Jungeun protested. "We are two couples hanging out, isn't that what it is?"

"We are not here to hang out, we're here to..." Hyejoo's voice trailed off. "What are we here for again?"

"Christmas decorations!" Chaewon replied. "It's in a month, so we might as well start, right?"

The three hybrids looked at her with puzzled facial expressions.

"Uh, what is "Christmas"?" Jungeun asked.

"Wait, what?" Chaewon looked at the three in shock. "You guys have never heard of Christmas?"

They shook their heads. They knew what holidays were since they had their own, buy human holidays were very foreign to them. Although, most of their own holidays were not usually light-hearted, but more about their corrupt culture.

"Well, uh, to be briefly, it's a holiday that happens every year on December 25th. It's basically a time where we give gifts and spend time with family. It's also kinda the happiest time of the year!"

"Ah," Jungeun made a noise of understanding. "I get it! Sounds fun!"

"So all you do is be generous towards each other and spend time together?" Jinsoul doubtfully questioned. 

"Yes, that's mostly the point." The blonde nodded. "Why?"

"I guess our holidays are much different from yours."

"Yeah, ours is mostly about how much we hate humans and..." Hyejoo opened and closed her mouth, not knowing how to finish her sentence. "Actually, that's the only thing our holidays are about."

The dragons holidays always had somthing to do with war and their hostility towards humans. Even those that did not have anything to do with the war still backhandedly brought forth their anger towards it.

"Ooh, what's this?"

Jungeun was looking an item on the shelf with curiosity. It was snow globe, and had Santa riding his on his sleigh inside it. 

"Oh, this is a snow globe! You can shake it and make it look like it's snowing inside."

Chaewon picked up the trinket and began to shake furiously. She then showed the fauna hybird the snow globe as the tiny white snow pieces spun around the inside of the glass, making her eyes twinkle with amazement. 

"You can make it snow??" Jungeun said in awe.

"Uh, yeah, all I have to do is shake it and the little pieces fly around inside, making it look like snow!" Chaewon explained, giggling at the brunette's wonderment.

Jungeun then took the item out of the blonde's hands and tried shaking it herself. It worked, making the snow fly around again and the fauna hybrid made a noise of astonishment. 

"So cool!" Jungeun exclaimed, continuously shaking and analyzing the object.

"What about this?" Hyejoo asked, pointing to a toy and the shelf behind them. 

"It's one of those talking Christmas toys! See?"

Chaewon pressed the button in the middle of the Santa toy.

*"Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!!"*

"Did this guy just call me a hoe?" Hyejoo asked, eyeing the toy suspiciously.

"Wh-" Chaewon burst out laughing. "No! It's a catchphrase! It sounds the same, but it means something else!"

"Oh. Well, he should get a new catchphrase." Hyejoo said, watching the toy angrily.

Chaewon could not help but laugh at the younger. Even when she was angry or annoyed, she still found a way to be cute without trying. That only made the blonde fall in love with her more.

"Anyway," Jinsoul said, interrupting her thoughts. "We should probably start shopping for your "Christmas", before these two end up breaking something."

Jungeun scoffed, still shaking the snow globe.

"I would never-"

The trinket flew out of her hand from the forceful shaking, flying into the air. As it fell back down, Jinsoul happened to catch it, preventing it from falling on the ground and breaking. She looked at her wife in disappointment, shaking her head.

"Touche." Jungeun said, laughing sheepishly.

"Yeah, we should probably make this quick." Chaewon said.

With the list that Chaewon brought, they were able to get all of things they needed. It took a while, with Jungeun and Hyejoo being curious about toy or decoration they saw, but overall was a fun experience. They ended up buying tons of ornaments and decorations for the Christmas tree and for around the apartment, plus any items they were interested in. When they finished, the group paid and exited the store. When they made back home, and took out all the bought things out of their bags. Chaewon did not notice how much they got until she saw all of it laying on the living room floor. This was certainly about to be a festive Christmas, Chaewon thought.

"Okay, we can first start by setting up the tree!" Chaewon decided. "Hyejoo, can you help me get it?"

"Sure thing, babe." Hyejoo said, following Chaewon to the closet. 

The blonde's cheeks turn rosy pink when she heard the pet name. Even though Jiwoo calls her "babe" from time to time in platonic way, the way Hyejoo said it just made her heart skip a beat. Chaewon did not know if she would ever get used to it.

When they got to the closest next to her bedroom, Chaewon opened the door to see random boxes inside. It was a storage room, so that made sense.

"Okay, Hyejoo, you can grab that end and I'll take the other end so we can carry it easier!"

Hyejoo cocked an eyebrow and looked at the blonde like she was expecting something.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" The hybrid mumbled in a teasing voice. 

"What?" Chaewon teased back, having a good idea what she was talking about.

"You know..." 

Hyejoo pointed to her pouting lips, making Chaewon chortle but comply. She lifted her head slightly, herself being shorter than the younger, and placed a short kiss on her lips. She was going to pull away, but Hyejoo's hands on her cheeks kept her there. They kept kissing for a good five minutes, savoring the taste of each other's mouths. They eventually pulled away.

"Satisfied?..." Chaewon asked breathlessly.

"Very much..." 

They both shared a soft chuckle. One of things they loved to do the most was kissing. It made them feel safe and the warmth they felt when they connected grew stronger. It was so addicting for them both.

"Let's just grab the tree." The blonde said with a smile.

They picked up each end of the box and cautiously carried back to the living room. 

"About time!" Jungeun complained, sitting on the floor with Jinsoul, going through the items. 

Chaewon laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, sorry, we-"

"-were busy making out." Jinsoul finished, smirking. "We get it."

"You think we don't know?" Jungeun teased. "You guys can't go an hour without kissing each other! Plus, we've been there before so..."

The blonde's face was flush and she scratched the back of her hair in embarrassment. 

"A-Anyway," Chaewon stuttered out. "How about we begin?"

Chaewon opened the big box to reveal a plastic Christmas tree inside, seperated into three separate pieces. They took it out, including the instructions, and began to get to work.

This was the first time, after moving out of her parents' home, that Chaewon was doing this with other people. She would just set up the tree alone with a few decorations around her apartment, and then spend Christmas with a few friends. But now, she had possible girlfriend and a married couple under the same roof for who knows how long. Living with three other people has certainly changed the way she did things in daily life. Before, it was about her and her pets. But now, there were more people she could socialize and feel like she had someone else she could have a bond with. Days were certainly not boring with these hybrids, and the changed were welcome. 

Christmas was about to be very loud and crowded with all these new friends. But, someone about that made Chaewon overjoyed. She silently hoped they would stay for on Earth even after solving this mystery. She never asked but she would think so. Time will tell.

They spent the next thirty minutes setting up and decorated the tree. They had decided to not go with any sort of theme, just putting up with whatever looked right. It ended making the tree look like a mess of random ornaments, but everyone seemed to love it.

When it came to the final ornament at the top of the tree, they had two options.

"So, do you guys want Santa or an Angel at the top?" Chaewon asked, holding the two objects.

"Who's Santa?" Hyejoo asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"The guy who called you a "hoe" in the store." Chaewon replied, humoring her.

Hyejoo glared at the Santa ornament, watching it with wariness and growling lowly.

"Let's go with the angel." 

"I thought so." The blonde said, laughing at the hybrid's adorable anger.

Using the step stool, Chaewon allowed Hyejoo to place the angel on the top of the tree. They all stepped back and looked at their work. It looked a collage of many things, but all came together in a way. After placing more decorations throughout their apartment until they were satisfied.

"If this is what Christmas is all about, then I want to do this every year!" Jungeun declared, placing a little reindeer stand on the center of the kitchen table. "I can't believe humans get to do this!"

"Why do humans celebrate this anyway?" Jinsoul asked, gathering the empty plastic bags off the floor. 

"I mean, there's many reasons." Chaewon began, "For religious people, it's more of a celebration of birth of their savior. But for others, like me, it's more of just a tradition we kept going over time. I guess we all just decided that there should be one time of year where we don't act like assholes. So, we kept it up."

"Hybrids aren't religious in any way, but traditions are something we love a little too much so I understand that. Plus, this does seem enjoyable." Jinsoul said. "I just find interesting that you humans do this every year just because."

"Well I guess we at least had to do something right." Chaewon joked.

Jinsoul thought on it for a minute. Dragon culture was always sacred and never included any traditions that were the sake of enjoyment, at least never to the extent of this. It seemed to only show how dated their society was.

"It looks like we're done!" Chaewon sighed in relief, satisfied with their hard work.

"Great, because I'm so hungry!" Hyejoo whined, tugging on her soulmate's arm. "Can we that "pizza" food again?"

"Aww, of course we can!", Chaewon took out her phone. "Let me call- oh wait, I missed a call from Yeojin!"

"Who?" Hyejoo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"One of my highschool friends. I must have had my phone on mute."

"Just call her back. We'll wait." Jinsoul reassured.

Chaewon nodded and speedily stepped away to call Yeojin. It did not take long for the friend to answer.

*"Chaewon! Finally!"*

"What's wrong?"

*"Remember that play I do with the children every year? This Christmas one?"*

"I mean, of course! I love watching them!"

Chaewon always enjoyed watching whatever Yeojin and the kids put together since it was always heartwarming. She would never miss any of them because it always one of the highlights of her holiday season.

"What about it?"

*"Well, one of the teachers who always wrote the scripts is stuck in the hospital right now and can't participate. So now I'm without a scriptwriter!"*

"Oh no, I hope she feels better! But what does that have to do with me?"

*"Well, I was hoping...that you could do it! You love writing and stuff, so maybe you could try this year!"*

"Wh-What?" Chaewon stuttered out warily. She loved to write in her free time, yes, but could never comfortable to do something like this.

"I don't know..."

*"Come on, 'Wonie! Please, you're the perfect person for this task! You're amazing at writing! You've one so many writing contests and always aced composition studies! You're so good, more than you give yourself credit for!"*

Chaewon sighed. She was nervous about letting everyone down, however she wanted to help her friend. She came to her for a reason, so clearly she can not just leave her in the dust.

"Okay, Yeojin. I'll try!"

*"Really??"*

"Yeah, just tell me what it's about, I'll see what I can do."

*"Oh my god, thank you!! I'll pay you back, I promise!"*

"No problem! When do you want the script?"

*"By Thursday night or Friday morning! So that way we can assigned the roles on Friday afternoon with the kids, and then start practicing on Saturday! Is that okay?"*

"That's fine, I can do that! I can give it to you at your school on Friday morning, if that's fine with you."

*"Great! Thank you so much for this Chaewon! You're the best!"*

"It's fine, just helping out! I'll see you then, 'Jinnie!"

*"Bye, 'Wonie!"*

The line disconnected and Chaewon just sighed to herself.

She was scared she would regret this, but this was one of her closest friends and she would do anything to help her when she was in need. All Chaewon could do was try her best and hope it turned out better than she hoped.

***

"Are you sure he'll be able to help us?" Heejin asked, waiting in front of the closed door.

"I'm positive. If anyone could have a clue about what those rebel hybrids are planning, it's him."

Hyunjin knocked on the door and patiently waited for someone to answer. It was not long before they could the lock on the doorknob clicking and door opened. There stood an old man, who then smiled brightly when she saw Hyunjin and Heejin standing before him.

"My dear granddaughter, it's about time you've visited again!" he said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hey, granddad. I know, and I'm sorry! Things have been hectic lately." 

"I understand, you are a young adult after all." The grandfather's eyes turned to Heejin, who stood there quietly. "Is this your girlfriend?"

"Oh, no!" Hyunjin replied, blushing awkwardly. "This is just a friend."

"Good morning, sir." Heejin said, bowing politely and seemingly unbothered by this misconception. "Sorry to bother you."

"Oh no dear, it's not a problem! I love a visit from my daughter as well as her friends! It gets lonely here." The grandfather dismissed. "So, what brings you two here?"

"It's better if we discuss this inside, it's pretty serious." Hyunjin stressed.

"Of course," The grandfather opened the door wider to let both of them in. "Come in!"

The two women walked in. Heejin noted how small but cozy the place was, with only a kitchen, living room, and a bedroom. It was also pretty bare, but he was old and retired, so he must not need much. They say down on the couch next to the television, with the old man sitting at an angle next to them.

"Now, tell me what's troubling you, dear daughter." 

Hyunjin took a deep breath to gather her thoughts.

"Okay, I'm sure you've heard about everything that's been going with the attacks. It's been getting worse these days and we don't know what to do. There seems to be new news related to it every other day. There seems to be something sinister behind it, and we need to figure it out before it's too late. Originally, I didn't know where to start, but now I have a little help with Heejin and her friends. They're hybrids and they're here to help us."

"She is an hybrid?" The grandfather asked curiously. He turned to Heejin. "What type?"

"Wind, sir. So I can control winds and can do a little levitation." The hybrid responded respectfully.

"Fascinating!" he exclaimed, examining her. "You look very much human, despite being a dragon. Your species are really developed!"

"Thank you, sir."

"Anyway," Hyunjin continued. "We only know two things about the case. The first is that we have a good idea that it has something to do with the SRPC because of the locations of the crimes. The second was revealed yesterday, and that is that they found one person who attacked the mall, and the name is one I know you recognize: Han Dong."

The old man's eyes widened when he heard the name. He sat back in thought for a moment.

"Yes, I know them."

"Them?" 

"Yes, *them*. The surname "Han" is very familiar."

The grandfather stood and went over to his bookshelf and picked up one of the books on the top shelf. He walked over, flipping through it before stopping at one particular page. He sat back down and leaned over to show the two females the page.

"The Han family is a long lineage that has been around for centuries. They were prominent during the war, but only a few are still alive today. They often took roles as part of the dragon royal court and made decisions for dragonkind. The Han family took their role serious and ruled with an iron fist. They are main reason why dragons and humans fought in the first place. I have reason to believe that they want to take revenge on humans for winning and sending them away into the dimensions. If it is true, then we are in trouble."

"I've heard about a dictator family who ruled over us, but we never knew the name since our modern day rulers and elders wanted to keep in hidden." Heejin started. "They told them as old stories, but most of us didn't believe it."

"They were very much real and very dangerous."

"Well, they're planning to put her to death so-"

"Wait, they cannot do that!" The old man exclaimed, a slight fear in his voice. 

"Why?" Hyunjin asked. "Is it bad?"

"Dear daughter, that is the worse thing they can do!" he stressed. "The Han family are not only extremely treacherous, but have a lot of dedicated followers. If one goes down, more will rise and take revenge. They are similar to a cult. If you mess with one of them, you mess with all of them."

"It's late though." Heejin sighed. "They said she would be executed today, and it's not like we can convince them otherwise."

"We HAVE to watch our backs. This could mean things could get much worse for our city. Don't trust everyone you come in contact with and keep your eyes and ears open to anything you find suspicious."

"Do you know what they might do?" Hyunjin asked, concerned.

"No idea. They are very unpredictable. We just have try and figure it out before it's too late."

"Okay..."

It was not the answer she was hoping, but it certainly got them somewhere. This would only get them closer to uncovering this mystery.

"Well, thank you for your help, granddad. We should get going." Hyunjin thanked, herself and Heejin standing to leave.

"Hold on!"

The old man went to his bedroom, and after a minute, came back with a briefcase in his hand.

"Here. Take this." he commanded, giving Hyunjin the case and a piece of paper. "I've been holding this for a long time, and I think you should have it. Clearly, you will make more use of this than I ever will. And there is the code to open the case. Wait until you get home to open it."

"Okay, but what is it?"

The grandfather smiled and winked. "You'll see."

***

"Oh my god, how did my grandad get all this??"

Hyunjin excitedly looked through all the objects inside the briefcase, which was full of glass bottles, gems, powders and other unknown items. Hyunjin curiously picked up each one and analyzed, in awe of what she was seeing.

"You can't get these anywhere!"

"Uh, what is it exactly?" Heejin asked, tilting her head in puzzlement. 

"There are ancient artifacts used to attract hybrids back in the day. It was an immoral practice, but these items are hard to get today and extremely valuable! We can use these to find the hybrids we're looking for!"

"Really?" Heejin said, curiosity perked. "Can it still work?"

"Let's try it out!"

Hyunjin picked out one of the gems and cleaned off the dust.

"How about we see what this..."

All of a sudden, the clear gem began to glow a dark blue as she held it between them. It did not seem to dim in the slightest.

"Interesting...I wonder what this means. What do you think Hee...."

Hyunjin's words trailed off as she noticed the hybrid. Heejin's eyes were focused on the glowing gem, her body also completely still. Hyunjin moved the gem from side to side, and the hybrid's eyes followed it in a trance like state. It was not until Hyunjin covered the gem with her hand that the hybrid blinked out of it.

"You okay?"

Heejin continuously blinked her eyes to get them in focus. 

"Oh, yeah I think so?" she said, confused about what just occured. "What even is that?"

"I don't know but...we should probably keep it away from you for now. We don't know the long terms effects of your exposure to this thing." Hyunjin rationalized. "Let's save it for an emergency."

"Good idea. That was weird..."

"Or I could use to make you shut up when I'm trying to work."

"Or I could steal it from you so you don't have that option." Heejin glared. 

"Fine, fine..." Hyunjin chuckled. She looked through more of the artifacts and pulled out an odd looking red flower. 

"I wonder what this does." Hyunjin wondered. "Do you smell it or...?"

"Let me see." 

Heejin took the flower out of Hyunjin's hand and took a whiff of its scent. It made the inside of her nose tingly but otherwise did not feel any initial effects.

"I don't feel any different." 

"Well it is old, so maybe it doesn't work anymore." Hyunjin took a booklet out of the briefcase. She flipped through it before stopping on a page that had an image of the same flower. "Maybe this will tell us something."

"What does it say?" 

"Mm..." Hyunjin skimmed through the page. "Well, it's called "de fera rosa solis" or "The Wild Sun's Rose". They are used to identify dragons who were disguised as humans..."

"Well, I guess it USED to do that, because I'm still me."

Heejin felt herself starting to heat up and sweat. 

"Except I do feel hot though..."

"Really?" Hyunjin skimmed through some more. "That's one of the side effects. If a hybrid smells the flower's scent, they will start to burn up. And then....oh no."

"Wh-What?" Heejin looked at her worriedly. "What's going on with me?"

"The final effect is that the hybrid's dragon side will mentally be brought to the surface. In other words, your mind will become animalistic...meaning-"

Hyunjin's words were cut off by the sound of growling. She fearfully looked up and jerked backwards when she saw Heejin. Her eyes were jet black and glowing menacingly. The hybrid's teeth were barred and sharp, and her dragon form started to appear, with horns, claws and large wings being revealed. Heejin got up in Hyunjin's face, making the latter back up into the couch. 

"Heejin?..."

The hybrid did not respond, instead only creeped closer and growled louder. Hyunjin knew she was fucked.

"Oh shit."

***

"Are you sure you can handle this, baby?"

Chaewon sat at her kitchen table, pencil in hand and sheets of paper in front of her. She scratched her head and sighed.

"I don't know, Hyejoo." Chaewon confessed. "But I can't let my friend down. She needs help, so I have to do this."

"But writing a whole script? Isn't that a lot?" Hyejoo asked worriedly.

"It is, but she sent me the summary, I just have to fill in the details. I can do it, I just need to focus."

"Okay, well I'll leave you alone so you can concentrate." Hyejoo bent down and kissed Chaewon on the cheek. "Good luck, baby."

The blonde smiled and blushed.

"Thank you. I'll be done soon! Just go and eat, yeah?"

Hyejoo smiled back and nodded. Even though she wanted to stay and help, the hybrid knew that she needed to do this alone. She only hoped that Chaewon would not overwork and stress herself out. 

Hyejoo walked into the living room to see Jungeun and Jinsoul but stopped midway when saw the frightened expression of Jinsoul while talking on the phone.

"Okay, we're leaving now! Don't leave your room until we get there!" Jinsoul commanded into the phone and then promptly hanging up.

"What's going on?" Hyejoo asked, growing worried. 

"We have to go. Hyunjin is in trouble." Jinsoul quickly explained, heading towards the door. "I'll explain more on the way. Tell Chaewon and let's hurry." 

Jungeun and Hyejoo looked at each other in concern, but speedily followed the eldest's instructions. Hyejoo ran back into the kitchen to tell Chaewon.

"Chaewon, we have to go! Hyunjin is in trouble!"

"What??" Chaewon stood up and looked at her in worry. "Should I come and help?"

"No, it's better if we handle it! Just stay here and we'll be back soon!"

The blonde was torn between arguing to come along or following her instructions. This was one of her dearest friends and she wanted to make sure she was safe, but by the tone of the hybrid's voice that was serious, so she decided to trust them. 

"Okay, be safe!"

"We will."

Hyejoo hurried back to living room, where Jinsoul and Jungeun stood in front of the door.

"Okay, ready."

***

"How does that even happen??" Hyejoo exclaimed as they made it to Hyunjin's apartment door. 

"Back in the day, there a lot of weird flowers that were used for similar purposes. So, this isn't surprising." Jungeun explained. "But I never knew they still existed."

"Hyunjin!!" Jinsoul yelled, knocking rapidly on the door. "Are you okay??" 

There were several crashes coming from inside the apartment, following by loud growling and running around. After a minute of ruckus, they heard the door unlock. They heard a quick "come in!!" before Hyunjin seemingly ran away. 

Jinsoul opened the door and the trio was stunned by what they saw. A midway transformed Heejin was chasing Hyunjin all over the messy room, crashing into things and keeping a predatory gaze.

"Heejin, stop! What are you doing??" Jinsoul shouted out, but all Heejin did was growl at her and continued chasing Hyunjin, unbothered.

"She won't listen, I've already tried!!" Hyunjin said, running around for her life. "There's a briefcase on the floor!! There a clear gem in there that can stun her as long as she looks at it! But it will stun you guys to, so make sure not to look at it!"

"If we can't look at it, then how we can get it??"

Hyunjin groaned as she jumped into the couch, trying to avoid Heejin.

"Okay, then try holding her down while I get it! That will give us enough time to cure this, hopeful-LY!!"

Heejin almost pounced on Hyunjin, but she quickly ran away before she could, throwing a pillow at savage hybrid as defense.

"I got it!" 

Hyejoo sprang into action to try and intervene. She waited for an opportunity to make her move and once Heejin was fully distracted, Hyejoo jump onto her and held her to the floor. The wind hybrid clearly did not like this, and began thrashing and trying furiously to break free. Hyejoo was glad that perk of being a flame type was that she was stronger than all other type, and that wind type was the weakest, so it was not that hard holding her down.

Hyunjin breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Hyejoo!" Hyunjin said gratefully. She then quickly went to the open briefcase and took out the jewel out of it. She took it over to where Hyejoo was holding Heejin. "Avert your eyes, I'm going to use it."

Hyejoo turned away and shut her eyes, with Jinsoul and Jungeun following suit. Hyunjin uncovered it and put the gem in front of Heejin's face as it turned blue. When the thrashing hybrid's eyes finally caught it, she immediately stopped moving and relaxed, set in a trance. 

"Okay, Jinsoul, Jungeun, look through the briefcase and see if you can find anything to help us!"

"Gotcha!" Jungeun replied, walking with Jinsoul over to the case, avoiding the gem's gaze. "What was the name of the flower anyway?"

"Something called "The Wild Sun's Rose". It's in the booklet and should be still open to it."

Jungeun picked up the said book and read through it briefly. 

"Surprisingly I've....never heard of this."

"What?" Hyunjin said in shock. "You're a fauna type, shouldn't you be an expert at this??"

"I am! But this one I've never seen before!! It must be extinct or just really rare!"

"Well does the book say how to reverse this??"

Jungeun skimmed through the paragraphs. 

"Yeah, a "Moon Lily"! Is it in here?"

Jinsoul picked a small flower with a royal blue color. 

"Is this it?" 

Jungeun analyzed and hesitantly shrugged.

"It's worth a try since I've never seen these before." 

Jinsoul nodded and carefully walked over to Hyunjin with the flower, covering her eyes. The latter took it out of her hands, and held it up to the nose of the now relaxed hybrid. Luckily, this flower had a very strong scent, so it was likely that Heejin would quickly picked it up. It did not long for it to take effect, with Heejin's dragon appendages slowly disappearing. When they were fully gone and eyes were returned to normal, Hyunjin took the jewel away and placed it in her pocket, having a feeling she might need it again. 

Heejin looked around at everyone staring at her, confused and slightly out of it.

"Heejin?... Are you feeling okay?" Hyejoo asked, loosing her grip on the wind hybrid but holding it in case she attacked again.

"Yeah?... But I feel like all the energy has been sucked out of me..." Heejin responded, voice weak. "Why are you on top of me?"

"You...don't remember?" 

"No, the last thing I remember was getting really hot and then I just blacked out... What did I do?"

"You were chasing me and tried to tear to me shreds!" Hyunjin explained. "Luckily, we had a cure."

"So you don't remember attacking everyone?" Jungeun questioned, but Heejin shook her head.

"No....and can you get off me, Hyejoo?"

"Oh, yeah sorry." Hyejoo quickly got off of her, and they both stood up. 

"How did you get this stuff?" Jinsoul questioned, looking through the briefcase.

"We went to my grandad's place to see if he could help us, and he gave me this." Hyunjin answered. "I should of read what each of the did instead of just trying then out blind."

"I don't know how your grandfather got this but..." Jinsoul said, glancing through the book. "These are dangerous stuff. They were used on us so long ago and we don't know if any of them are fatal. We should take this before something worse happens."

"But, what if they could help us? I know my grandad wouldn't have given it to me if it couldn't assist us in anyway."

Jinsoul sighed. She knew that this could be a huge help, but what just occured proves that it was too dangerous to be taken lightly. She did not want anything like this to happen again, or worse.

"You better not open this again. I know you are curious, but I'm not losing anyone to artifacts we don't understand. " 

"But-" Hyunjin tried to protest, but ultimately sighed and gave in. "Fine. I won't...."

"Good." Jinsoul relaxed. "Now if everything is okay now, I guess we should head back."

"Heejin, make sure to call us if you feel weird or any different."

" 'Kay." Heejin nodded, sitting on the couch. "I just need to rest. My head is still spinning."

Hyunjin felt apologetic after making the hybrid go through this. She let her curiosity get the better of her and did not read up on what each of the objects did. Otherwise, this would not have happened. 

"We'll just get going. See ya guys!" Hyejoo said, walking out of the door with the others. As soon as they walked out, Hyunjin walked over to shut and lock the door. 

"Well that must've been something. Because I feel like I just did a whole ass workout." Heejin breathlessly chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah...sorry." Hyunjin apologized, frowning. "I should of never tried them out blindly, especially when they were made so long ago. It was stupid."

"Don't beat yourself up over it. I was the one who decided to smell it, anyway, and I didn't try and stop you. And, besides, we're fine in the end. Let's forget and forget." 

"Sure." 

Even if Heejin did not mind it, Hyunjin still felt awful for allowing this to happen. But, the hybrid was right. They were okay, and that was the crucial part.

She looked at Heejin and noticed she was already dozed off on her side. Despite her having a bold attitude, the hybrid looked adorable and vulnerable while she was sleeping. She was curled up into a ball with her mouth slightly gaped, and every now and then she let out a little whimper. 

Hyunjin stared a little longer than she wanted to initially, but Heejin sleeping was too cute to look away. 

Sometimes, Hyunjin thought about how they met months ago and hated each other at first, but now were close enough to live together peacefully. She noticed that they have yet to fight since they have been here, a huge contrast from before. Hyunjin loved the contrast, knowing that were now much better friends. But there was lingering thought in the back of her mind about what her grandfather called Heejin earlier.

Her *girlfriend.*

Hyunjin did not knew if she was feeling anything significant towards the hybrid or not, or if the hybrid felt the same way, since she never got strong feelings anyone since...*her*. But, she was open minded to it. For now, they had to focus on the task at hand.

But she would keep it in the back of her head for later.

***

"Stay still."

"But my nose itches!"

Yerim sighed but could not help but laugh at the younger girl's adorable whining. She got from behind her canvas and walked over to Yeojin, who was sitting on the chair while holding a teddy bear, and scratched her nose for her. 

"I could've done it myself!" Yeojin protested.

"You can't change yourself your position until I finish sketching! Otherwise, it won't match." Yerim tried to explain, going back to the canvas and continuing her work. 

"But I'm hungry..."

"I know, I'm almost done! I promise!"

Yeojin pouted and went with it, trying desperately not to move an inch. After about twenty more minutes, Yerim set down her pencil and looked at her work. She then nodded in approval and gazed over at Yeojin.

"Done!"

Yeojin sighed dramatically and stood up to stretch. 

"Finally! I thought it would never be over!"

"Well, you're in luck." Yerim humoured, standing to stretch as well.

"Can I see?" Yeojin asked, trying to peek behind the canvas.

"No! Not until I finish painting it!"

Yeojin let out a loud whine and huffed at her, crossing her arms.

"Aw, but I want to see it now! Please??..." The brunette begged, giving the purple haired female puppy eyes. But Yerim did not give in.

"Sorry, I want it to be a surprise!"

"Fine..." 

*Knock. Knock. Knock.*

"Coming!!" Yeojin called while running to the door. She opened the door and promptly hugged who was on the other side. "Jiwoo!"

"Hey, 'Jinnie!" The red head greeted, hugging her back. "Long time, no see!"

"I'd say! But since you're here, I was wondering if you could help me!" 

"Sure! What do you need?"

Yeojin shut the door, looked towards Yerim's bedroom, then back at Jiwoo.

"Can you keep a secret?" Yeojin asked, whispering.

"Yeah, I can! Why? Is it bad?" Jiwoo whispered back.

"No, but...you have to promise me to keep this between us! No one can know, okay?"

"Oh, sure! It can be our little secret, okay?"

Yeojin cheerfully nodded, and leaned in to Jiwoo.

"Okay, so you know Yerim, right?"

"Of course, why?"

Yeojin paused and bit her lip, but then continued.

"So, I think I like her...."

"Oh, really?" Jiwoo tried to act surprise, but everyone knew at this point since it was really obvious. But she decided to humour her.

"Yeah, and but also I don't know if it's platonic or not." Yeojin continued. "I mean, I love being around her and she's an amazing best friend, but I don't know if want it to change. I was never really interested in the whole "lovey dovey" thing. But, I don't want to let this opportunity to go by, you know?"

"I get what you mean. But you're in luck, because I am a natural at this!" Jiwoo reassured. "And I will assist you!"

"Omg, thanks Jiwoo! I owe you one!"

"No problem! Now what do you need from me first?"

"Well..." Yeojin thought for a moment. "Oh! Can you figure out if she likes me? Like spend some time with her and figure out if has any interest?"

Right then and there, Jiwoo just wanted to tell her "yes", but had to keep her mouth shut for fear of questions.

"Sure! When should I hang out with her?"

"Well, I have work tomorrow, and Yerim is not going anywhere so how about you come then?"

"Okay, sounds like a plan! I'll come by before work and-"

"Yeojin! Is everything okay?"

Yerim walked out of the room, concerned from her best friend taking too long. She saw Yeojin pulling away from Jiwoo, the latter waving to her politely.

"Hey, Yerim! How have you been?"

Yeojin watched Yerim's eyes look between the two of them and looked like she was about to say something, but ended up repressing the thought.

"Good, good. Sorry to bother you two, I'll just go back to painting."

Yerim turned back into her bedroom and closed the door. 

Jiwoo and Yeojin could not help but notice how uncomfortable Yerim looked, but not knowing where it came from. 

"Sorry, I think she's just tired. She has been trying to paint me all day!" Yeojin walked towards the fridge, opening it. "Want something?"

"Oh, sure!"

Jiwoo had a feeling about what was going on, but decided to keep it to herself.

*'Not yet.'*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 6! This is the beginning of what I call the "Christmas Arc". A lot of things will occur that will affect the relationships of all 12 of them. Some good, some bad, some frustrating, and others I know you all will love! I can't wait for you guys to see! We already have the start of the "Hyunjin is bad at feelings" storyline, and (SPOILER ALERT) Heejin's is coming soon! Besides that, we also had the "double date line" (Hyejoo, Chaewon, Jungeun, and Jinsoul) take part in some Christmas shenanigans, and a cute sneak peek for Yeojin and Yerim's relationship. And a little Kahei and Haseul in the beginning! Besides all the love bits, we also got more clues and a small incident with Heejin. What do you think it all means? Tell me in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	7. 𝒊 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I never noticed some things until I met you.  
> You opened my eyes and changed my views.  
> I thought I hated you, but maybe it was misunderstood.  
> Together, we can figure out each other.  
> I want to learn more about myself because  
> 𝒊 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"I'm heading over to the school!"

Kahei put on her coat and grabbed her purse. She gazed at Haseul, who was reading on the couch and avoiding eye contact. Within the last week, Haseul had been more closed-off than usual, often evading having to talk to Kahei. She did not know why the hybrid was acting different, and she knew it was not her business to know. But, Kahei felt a little hurt over this strain on their relationship. Hopefully, this would not continue for long. 

"I'm going to go work on the play with Yeojin."

Kahei noticed the way Haseul reacted to what was said; eyes lifting from her book and looking as if she was in thought.

"You don't have to worry about the role, by the way." Kahei continued. "I don't want to force something onto you when you're not comfortable. I got too excited that I didn't take into account your feelings, and I'm sorry. It's okay if you're mad at me, I just want to let you know that your feelings are more important than mine in this, so it's okay."

Haseul just sat there, taking in the eldest's words. Kahei did not expect a reply, just wanted to apologise. She was about to walk out the door, before she was caught off guard.

"It is okay. I never harboured any anger towards you. But I appreciate your apology." 

Kahei turned back around and was met by Haseul's genuine smile. She did not expect to hear anything from her, but was very relieved when she did.

"And one more thing." Haseul continued. "I still want to be a part of your play. I want this to go well for you, so I will try my best."

"Wait, are you sure? Because you seemed really uncomfortable." Kahei asked, concerned. Even though she would love to have her in the play, she did not want the hybrid to do anything that she did not want to.

"Yes, let me try. Besides, it sounds enjoyable." Haseul reassured. "Your apology showed me that you care for me, so let me care for you in return."

"Okay," Kahei still was wary about letting her do it, but seeing that there was no fear on Haseul's face, she felt more sure that the she actually wanted to do it. "But, if you feel like you can't do it, just tell me okay? I won't get mad at you for it."

"Understood." Haseul nodded.

Once she got confirmation, Kahei went to take one of her coats out of the closet for Haseul to wear. She was about to hand it to her, but the hybrid waved her hand dismissively.

"Thank you but do not need a coat." Haseul explained. "I am a frost hybrid so I can handle high freezing temperatures." 

"Oh....right, sorry!" Kahei chuckled sheepishly. "That was stupid of me!"

"You are not stupid." 

"Yeah, I was but it's o..." 

Kahei stopped her words when she noticed the serious expression on Haseul's face, seemingly hurt by her words.

"Oh no! I wasn't serious!" Kahei clarified. "It was just a joke!"

Haseul looked at her with confusion.

"Do humans always joke about that?" The frost hybrid asked.

"Kinda, yeah. It's more of an exaggeration!"

Haseul nodded, still looking puzzled, but took in the new information.

"That is....odd. Why would you make fun of yourself?"

"I guess it seems that way, but it's not their intention." Kahei never thought about it in that way. To outsiders, it might seem like humans do have strange behaviors.

"I see..."

"Anyway, we should probably get going! There's a lot to do!" 

"Okay."

Kahei noticed the change in demeanor of Haseul. But, she could not pinpoint why.

*She is getting more interesting by the day...*

***

"Oh my god, what if she doesn't like it??"

Chaewon, clearly stressed, walked up to the school building, holding her script with shaking hands. She had been working on it for the past five days, trying her best to get it right. After she got home from work, Chaewon would engross herself into writing to the point where she would forget to eat, all in an effort to make sure it was perfect. The blonde would call herself a perfectionist, especially when it was for friends.

"What if it's terrible? What if Yeojin hates me?"

"If Yeojin is like how you described her to us, I'm pretty sure she won't hate you!" Jungeun laughed, walking up behind her with Jinsoul and Hyejoo. 

"Yeah, and isn't it for a play acted by children?" Jinsoul added. "So, I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be Shakespeare level good."

Hyejoo and Jungeun tilted their heads.

"Who?" They said at once.

"Uh- Nothing. You wouldn't get it."

Chaewon took a deep breath and let out a quivering sigh. She then felt a comforting hand on her shoulder and soft voice ringing in her head.

*'It will be okay. You worked so hard on this. I know it will be perfect.'*

Hyejoo and Chaewon looked at each other and shared at soft smile. They really enjoyed having this new ability they shared, being able to comfort each other without saying any words out loud. It felt more personal and like they were in their own world. 

*'Thank you...'*

*'No problem...'*

"Man, I wish we were soulmates." Jungeun complained to Jinsoul, noticing that the youngest pair were speaking to each other telepathically. "Imagine how could that would be do that."

"Yeah, but we don't have to be soulmates for me to know what you're thinking. It's pretty easy to tell after almost seven years." Jinsoul chuckled.

"Really?" 

The fauna hybrid paused and conjured up a thought in her head, a smirk appearing on her face.

"What I am thinking?"

The aqua hybrid analyzed her wife's face for a few seconds.

"About my ass."

Jungeun dramatically gasped. 

"How did you know??"

"You always think about it when you're smirking. Also, you were glancing at it on the way here." Jinsoul replied, rolling her eyes. Thinking about Jin was like Jungeun's default thought so it was not hard.

"Aw, you know me so well!" Jungeun said in appreciation, hugging her wife tightly and peppering her face with kisses.

"Are you guys done?" The youngest groaned, annoyed by the married couple's antics. She should be used to it by now, but when they were embarrassingly cute, it was hard to ignore.

"Hey, if you guys can make out right in front of us, then I can give face kisses in front of you." Jungeun playfully reasoned, continuing to make her point.

" 'Sup, guys!"

They all jerked their heads to whoever was calling them, who turned out to be Heejin, with Hyunjin, walking towards them.

"What are you guys doing here?" Chaewon asked curiously as the two came up to them.

"Apparently, this idiot forgot she offered to help her friend with some kind of play, and now she can't get out of it." Heejin replied in a mocking tone, making Hyunjin groan.

"Yeah, pretty much." Hyunjin sighed, audibly and visibly annoyed.

"Ah, so Yeojin asked you too?" Chaewon additionally asked.

"Yeah, with the props. It was like a month ago so it completely slipped my mind. How about you?"

"I had to do the script in a week, which was pretty stressful. I just hope it's okay!"

"Damn, all of this for a kids' play?" Heejin said incredulously. "Aren't you guys taking this way too seriously?"

"Maybe, but it's not just a play acted by children, it's for the senior citizens home." Chaewon explained. "The kids act for them for Christmas every year, we just help to make sure it's perfect."

"Either way, at least we finally met up without any imminent danger topics." Jinsoul snorted.

"Or without Heejin trying to seduce Hyunjin." Jungeun added teasingly.

"Who says I won't be doing that?" Heejin said seductively, wrapping her arm around Hyunjin's waste in a flirty manner.

"Of course you will..." Hyunjin groaned, with her cheeks turning pink. For some odd reason she would not admit, she actually somewhat liked having Heejin be flirty with her. Something about it made her feel warm inside.

"Well, you better turn it down. I don't think those kids needs to see you eye-fuck her." Hyejoo chortled. 

"We'll see..." The wind hybrid said with a wink.

"I....should probably not ask about you two." Chaewon said, looking uncomfortable. "Let's just head inside. The school's about to end!"

They all agreed to enter the school building, just as the students were leaving for the day. When they made it into the gym, they saw the kids talking and playing amongst themselves while Yeojin was looking over a clipboard near the entrance. She looked up from it once she heard the gym doors open.

"Guys! You're finally here!" Yeojin exclaimed, practically skipping over to them. "Thank you so much for coming!" 

"OH MY GOD!" Jungeun blurted out, watching the small brunette coming up to them with wide babylike eyes and a shining smile, the bow in her hair bouncing with each step. 

"What?" Hyunjin questioned, puzzled by the fauna hybrid's exclamation. Just then, Yeojin got to them.

"Hey, how's it-"

Jungeun put her hands on the young girl's cheeks and squished them while cooing her.

"You are so adorable!!" The fauna hybrid exclaimed. "Chaewon, why didn't you introduced me to this cutie sooner?!"

"Uh-" Chaewon just looked at them, speechless.

"Thank you! I get that a lot!" Yeojin giggled through squished pouty lips, making cooing continue frequently. "I'm Yeojin! But you can call me 'Jinnie! People also call me Bean too!"

"Can I call you baby bean??"

"Why "baby bean"?" Hyunjin asked, slightly cringing by the nickname.

"Because I officially adopted her as my child!" 

"Yay!! I have a new mom!" Yeojin cheered while clapping her hands adorably. That only made Jungeun freak out more and pull her into a tight hug.

"AWW! MY BABY BEAN IS SO CUTE!!"

While this was occuring, everyone looked on with confused or deadpanned facial expressions. This kept going on until Chaewon cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Um, anyway, I got the script." Chaewon said awkwardly, not knowing if they were even paying attention to her.

"Oh yeah!" Yeojin pulled away from the tight hug. "Thank you so much for your help, 'Wonie! Now we can start assigning roles! All we need is for Kahei and Haseul to get here!"

"Kahei? Isn't that the girl you guys saved?" Chaewon questioned, recognizing the name.

"Uh yeah, and Haseul was the one we went to go see!" Hyejoo added on. "I guess she works here."

"Well that's a coincidence!"

"Haseul is a hybrid too right?" Hyunjin asked. "Because maybe she could help us with-"

"Haseul is a hybrid??" Yeojin said in utter shock. "And what do you mean "too"? And what about "saving Kahei"?? Am I missing something??"

"Oh uh..." Chaewon chuckled awkwardly. "Long story?..."

"Wow, great job Hyunjin for "not telling anyone" we're hybrids." Heejin said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"I won't tell anyone!" Yeojin stressed to them. "I just didn't know! Are all of you guys hybrids?"

"Everyone here except for me and Chaewon." Hyunjin replied. "They just came here recently."

"Wow... That's so cool!! I've never met any hybrids before..."

"You probably have, but they're hard to spot since we blend in so easy and usually don't tell anyone." Jinsoul clarified. Many humans do not realize that there are hybrids everywhere, but you will most likely never know. You could be working along aside them or going to school with them, and but they will never speak on it. "We're usually pretty reserved."

"Well that explains Haseul! She seemed so closed off when I met her." Yeojin said, concerned. "I thought she was just shy!"

"Yeah... that's our Haseul!" Jungeun said. "She's...a little quiet, but most frost hybrids are. She isn't a very social person and has never interacted with a human before, until Kahei and now you."

"It seems like they are... I've met one before." Hyunjin confirmed.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Hyunjin sighed. "She was very quiet, but was always compassionate. She's the first hybrid I met, and someone I wish I could meet again. But...things just did not work out."

"Things?.." Heejin asked, curious.

Hyunjin nodded. "I think you get what I mean."

Heejin watched the disappointed expression on Hyunjin's face and did not know how to feel. For one, she was surprised that Hyunjin actually had feelings for someone else, especially when she seemed to be a reserved person. She also felt sad for her, despite understanding what how it was to crush on someone or relationships in general. But then there was a thought in the back of her head that she could not comprehend. The thought of Hyunjin liking someone else made her feel strange. 

Suddenly, the doors to the gym opened and they all turned their heads around.

"Sorry, we're late!" Kahei apologized, rushing into the room with Haseul following. "But let's get started!"

"Haseul, I didn't know you would be interested in *this*!" Hyejoo said in amazement.

"I wanted to try something new, so I am helping Kahei." Haseul replied calmly.

Jungeun stared at the frost hybrid with wide eyes, impressed. 

"That's great! You've changed so much, I can't believe-"

"You."

Everyone looked at Hyunjin, who was pointing at Haseul with a face of disbelief. It was only then that Haseul looked at her, her placid expression converting to a frightful one. 

"J-Jane?..."

"Jane?" Jungeun said in bewilderment. "But her name is-"

"Hyunjin?... What are you doing here??"

"You guys know each other?" Jinsoul asked, lost by the whole conversation.

"Yes..." Hyunjin said, eyes still on Haseul. "She's the hybrid I was talking about..."

Heejin looked at the both of them, seeing where this was going.

"So you..."

"Yes, I did." Hyunjin replied bluntly, starting to get emotional. 

"Maybe you guys need to take it outside." Jinsoul suggested. "And talk about things..."

"Yeah, we should." Hyunjin agreed, looking expectingly at Haseul. 

Haseul nodded in confirmation, and led them both outside of the gym. Heejin watched them walk out, that strange feeling coming back.

"That was... something."

"Yeah, I mean who knew our Haseul almost got involved with someone, a human no less." Jungeun said, still shocked.

Heejin frowned. "Yeah..."

"Uh, I know this is a weird time but..." Yeojin interrupted. "We should probably start handing out the roles now!"

"Oh, right!" Kahei realized. "Let's do that!"

They all agreed to not dwell on the situation, since it was not their business to comment on. They would just leave the two alone and let them handle it. They began getting to children together and started assigning the play roles. Eventually, all the kids got a part, with Kahei's student Yuri getting the role of the main little girl, and Haseul still having the role of the older woman, as long as she still wanted it. They actually decided to give the roles of the girl's parents to Jungeun and Jinsoul, because they were already married and would also allow for Haseul to feel more comfortable.

The children were really on board with this, especially with how well Jungeun got along with them. Chaewon was also just relieved that her script turned out to be better than she hoped, with lots of praises from Kahei and Yeojin. It all seemed like everything was fine.

However, Heejin could not help but turn back to the gym doors. Hyunjin and Haseul had been gone for about twenty minutes, which was making the wind hybrid's mind go places. Were they going to get together? What were they actually doing out there? Heejin did not know why she was worrying about this because it was not her business. But she felt so territorial over Hyunjin, even though she tried to deny it.

It was until the gym doors opened again that her curiosity went into overdrive. She watched carefully as Haseul and Hyunjin came back to where they were sitting on the gym floor. Hyunjin sat down on the end on the end next to Heejin, while Haseul sat on the opposite end next to Kahei. Heejin eyes slipped to Hyunjin, not knowing what to say since her face was unreadable, not upset but not excited either. Hyunjin's face just looked content.

"I talked to Ja- Haseul..."

Heejin was caught off guard by Hyunjin whispering close to her ear.

"Yeah?" Heejin whispered back. 

"And we thought over some things..."

Heejin stayed silent, waiting anxiously for what she was going to say next.

"We decided to go our own way."

The hybrid turned to her with unbelieving eyes.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was for the best. I think we just work better as friends. We used to be such good friends, and yes, I did get feelings. We met when I just got out of high school, which was about 4 years ago, and I did not have many people I related to. And then Ja- Haseul came along...and we just clicked, you know? I guess I kind of jumped the gun and really wanted to take our relationship further, which she did not want. She went through a lot, which since you guys are friends I assume you know, and I didn't think about that. And then, out of nowhere, she left and...it hurt back then. But when we talked, I understood her side and we settled on just being friends again. I'm just glad I finally knew what happened. Although, I never knew her name was Haseul. She never told me why she told me her name was Jane, but I guess that's her business."

Heejin relaxed when she heard this answer. It was good that they settled everything, and even decided to be friends. In addition to hearing that, her slight territorial nature subsided.

"Good to hear..."

"Mhm..."

Heejin watched as Hyunjin looked past her to Haseul, in which they smiled at each other.

"So, Heejin,"

"Yeah?"

"Are you still planning on flirting with me?" Hyunjin laughed.

"Oh my god." Heejin chuckled a bit. "I wasn't serious."

"Aw, that sucks." Hyunjin teased. "I was looking forward to it."

"Seriously?" 

Heejin linked her arm with Hyunjin's and intertwined their fingers together, following with her leaning her hand on the other's shoulder. 

"Satisfied?"

Hyunjin responded with leaning her head on Heejin's, humming in contentment.

"Yes."

Heejin chuckled. "Good."

"You know, I like you when you're not annoying."

"What do you mean? I'm not annoying."

"Yes, you are. I mean, have you forgotten about your nickname?"

"Don't say it."

"Jin-pulsive" Hyunjin chortled, making Heejin groan.

"Say that name again, and I will go back to being annoying. Just shut up and enjoy this."

"Fine, fine..." 

They sat their on the gym floor, satisfied with no space between them. Hyunjin realized that this was a new thing for them, acting like this. What changed, she did not have a clue. But she did not mention it, just fully content with themselves at this moment.

***

Jiwoo was completely loosing it. 

She had been at Yerim's place for almost and hour now and was so close to pulling her hair out. Yerim, throughout the entire time, was venting to Jiwoo about her feelings and frustrations towards Yeojin. It went from talking about how cute the youngest was while stuffing her face with pizza to her own jealousy towards one of Yeojin's friends she hangs out with. Not that it was not cute, but that is was frustrating that she could not just Yerim that Yeojin actually liked her. It was so obvious and would make this process so much easier but she could not betray Yeojin's trust. Plus, a little part of Jiwoo wanted to see how this would play out if they found out on their own. 

"And then she went over to her house overnight, and I mean, why stay overnight??" Yerim complained, slamming her pencil on the table where she was drawing. "You see her all the time when you're at work, so why stay with them even longer?? What were they doing??"

"I don't know, maybe because they're friends and want to hang out?" Jiwoo suggests, pointing out the obvious. Who Yerim was talking was one of Yeojin's co-worker friends, Lena. Yeojin was always a social butterfly and became friends with any she came across, much to the dismay of the artist. 

"You can hang out in the evening, not the whole night!"

Yerim faces Jiwoo with a pouty lips and disappointed eyes.

"What if I'm losing her?"

*Trust me, you're not even close*

"You're not losing her! No matter how many friends she has, she still loves you the most! I mean, she lives with you, and not them!"

"Yeah but...why doesn't she show it often?"

*'The same reason you don't...'*

"She probably doesn't realize it! Yeojin is not the type of person to act all romantic, she's a child at heart." Jiwoo started to reason. "Maybe if you made the first move, she would understand and run with it."

"I can't, I feel like I'll mess it up." The artist sighed. "She never showed any interest in love and all that, so I feel like I'll just ruin our relationship."

*'You won't, because she likes you too.'*

"I don't think you will, your friendship is too good to let it go for something like this! Just tell her and-"

"No! I-I can't...." Jiwoo exclaimed. "I'm just too afraid..."

*'You know what?'* Jiwoo thought. *'Screw it.'*

"Listen, she likes you too."

Yerim looked at her in disbelief. "What?"

"Remember the other day when we were talking? Yeah, she told she liked you and that she did not want me to tell because she was afraid too!" Jiwoo confessed. "But it was about time you guys stop being so afraid and just talk about your feelings!"

Yerim just stared at Jiwoo, not knowing what to say. She repeatedly opened and closed, trying to process what she just heard.

"So she....likes me?" Yerim asked, still pondering on the thought. "Like she LIKES ME likes me?"

"Yes, Yerim! She does! And you should go tell her now!"

"I guess I should but....how?"

"What do you mean? Just tell her when she gets home!"

"I mean that....I don't know much about the relationship stuff and neither does Yeojin, so how would we do it?" Yerim asked, completely unsure. "I don't want to ruin it..."

Jiwoo knew that those two were probably the least experienced when it came to romance. Even Chaewon and Hyunjin, who did not even focus on that kind of love, knew at least the basics. So, she did not blame Yerim for being worried. Luckily, Jiwoo was an expert.

"Listen, you two already get along, you just need to take your relationship to the next level!"

"There are...levels?" Yerim asked, lost but curious.

"Yes! Look, hand me a piece of paper and pencil!" Jiwoo demanded, ready to explain.

Yerim quickly pulled out a copy paper and pencil off her desk, with a clipboard so she can write on it.

"Thank you! Now, pay attention!"

Jiwoo then began writing on the paper, with it reading "Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4, Level 5" on it horizontally. She then wrote some bullet points under them.

"Okay, so these are the levels of a relationship, from one to five!' Jiwoo began. "As of right now, you guys are on level one, which is friendship. You want to get to the second level, which is dating. This is where you get to know each other and learn if you are compatible as a couple. You need to focus on this, because you can't get to level three if level two isn't successful!"

"What's level three?"

"Level three is where you guys are actually together as girlfriends! You know, the whole pet name, kissing, and lovey dovey thing? That's it!"

"So where you are with Sooyoung?"

Jiwoo paused for a moment when she said this, taken aback by the question. She pondered on it but really did not have an answer. Her and Sooyoung have not been acting like a couple lately, with how closed off the hybrid had been. They still talked, but it was more platonic. Even today, Jiwoo did not know what will happen when she leaves and sees her again. 

"Uh, Jiwoo?"

"Huh?" Jiwoo snapped back out of her thoughts. "Oh right! Yes, that's kind of where we are. We're kind of in the middle of three and four."

"Well, what's level four?"

Jiwoo chuckled awkwardly and blushed a little.

"That's where you guys get a lot more closer and a little...sexual. Which, is completely up to you if this comes first, or level five which is marriage, but I feel like this really makes any relationship stronger."

It is not that Jiwoo was embarrassed for talking about sex, she was probably the most confident out of their group of friends, but thinking about her youngest friends doing such an act was a little awkward. They were still babies in her eyes.

"Yeah....I don't think we're going to do that anytime soon!" Yerim disregarded, feeling equally embarrassed.

"Yeah, and that's basically it!"

"I think I get it!" Yerim confirmed. "But when will we time to get to do all that? Yeojin's focused on her play, so she's too busy..."

"Well, how about you do it on Christmas Eve?" Jiwoo excitedly suggested. "The play will be done on the 23rd, so how about tell her your feelings as a Christmas present?"

"That would be cool but I'm still nervous..."

"Yerim!" Jiwoo placed her hands on Yerim's shoulder. "She already likes you! You just need to be the one to make the first move! Just tell her, take her out on Christmas day, and just be as cute as you guys usually are! You have nothing to worry about!"

Yerim bit her lip and stayed silent for a while before she nodded.

"Okay, I will!" Yerim confirmed. "Just...can you please not tell her? I want it to be a surprise!"

"Sure thing!"

Jiwoo remembered that Yeojin asked her to report back to her their conversation. Now that Yerim was doing this, she just had to lie to her and keep their actual conversation a secret. It would be risky, but it was worth it if she got to see this cute love confession.

"Thanks Jiwoo, you really are an expert at this!"

"Well, what can I say?" Jiwoo flaunted, flipping her red hair dramatically. "It's a special talent."

*'Now, if only I could use my "special talent" on my own relationship...'*

***

Sooyoung walked into the bar, looking around for someone in particular. At first when she did not see her, she went over to the front of the bar and sat down. Just when Sooyoung thought she would not see who she would looking for, one of the bartenders got her attention.

"So, you actually decided to come this time."

Sooyoung jumped a little and jerked her head around to see the woman she had expected to see.

"Yeah well, I had no choice, did I?"

"Not really, so it's good you know how to follow directions for once."

Sooyoung rolled her eyes. 

"One Margarita."

"You're boring. But I guess that's what happens when you hang around so many humans."

"You're one to talk, Bora."

The bartender sinisterly chuckled and shrugged, while then walking off to fix her drink. When she came back, she brought both Sooyoung's and her own drink, promptly taking a sip before sitting down next to her.

"Shouldn't you be working?" Sooyoung asked, taking the drink out of the bartender's hand.

"I have a minute to talk, and there are other workers to cover for me." Bora responded, looking behind Sooyoung and catching the eye of one of her co-workers. She winked at them, which made them nod frantically and obediently, walking to her station behind the front bar. Bora smirked, making Sooyoung frown in disappointment.

"So you're still doing that?"

"Yeah, it comes in handy. Especially nowadays, for what has to be done." Bora hinted at, taking more sips for her drink. "You could use it too if wanted."

"Yeah, I'd rather not."

Both of them being death dragons, they had a power of manipulation. If the human was naive enough, they could this ability to make the humans do whatever they wanted. However, it only worked if it matched with the human's morals, so if the person was innocent and did not like conflicts, a death dragon could not make them murder someone.

"Anyways," Bora began. "You already know why I've called you here."

"Because you guys were stupid enough to get yourselves caught."

"More like, we lost someone dear to us because of the cruelty of these humans, but I guess what ever makes you feel special."

"I'm sorry but I can't believe you attacked that mall!" Sooyoung said, starting to get enraged. "For what? Because you guys wanted to stroke your ego so badly? It's your fault."

"Technically, I didn't do it. I just *encouraged* it. There's a difference." 

The bartender stirred the ice cubes in her drink, watching it twirl around and barely glancing at an annoyed Sooyoung.

"Still, it was your idea! And now we lost Han Dong! And now, they are more onto us then ever!"

"Chill out. You have nothing to worry about, sweetie. You should be thanking me." Bora said, almost patronizingly. "I got them right where I need them. All that needs to happen is to sit and watch the stupidity."

"What are you even talking about?" 

"You'll see. Especially with that little bitch you call your girlfriend. She's the best part."

Sooyoung tensed up a bit.

"She's not a bitch."

Bora raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of her drink before speaking.

"Sure, sweetie." Bora said sarcastically. "Look, you can call her all the cute little pet names in the fucking dictionary, but at the end of the day, you're using her and you know it."

"I'm not-..."

Sooyoung knew she was right and hated that. But, even if she did, her feelings were not fake.

Right?

"Damn, years on Earth have gotten you soft. Even months ago, you were all for our plan and now you just back out any chance you get. Now, you're a coward version of your former self. What happened to you?"

Sooyoung stayed silent. But the older woman could read her like open book.

"Your friends came back for you, didn't they?"

She kept her mouth shut.

"And then you actually fell in love with Jiwoo?"

Still silent.

"And now, you feel guilty after you've done? Because you think if I act like a saint, I can't get past my crimes and live normally. You can't handle the person you've become."

Based on the now lack of eye contact and new somber expression, the bartender knew she hit it right on the head.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Bora teased. "Well then, let me be the first to tell you that you will never be able to repent on your crimes. You are no more different than us. You may want to be that hero for your friends, but it will never work. Soon, they will find out, including that little bitch of yours, and it will all come crumbling down right in front of your eyes l, with you crumbling with it. You aren't the good guy. You are just a pretending. Well let just say that you should stop trying while you're ahead. Because trust me, no one wants to be tied to a criminal like you were."

"I-"

"And we saw what you did for that little fucker Kahei." Bora added. "Weren't you her little hero? To think, someone who is part of something so great would stoop so low. How tragic."

Sooyoung slammed her drink down on the table and sighed.

"Are you done here?"

The bartender finished her drink and chuckled mischievously. 

"Well, one more thing." Bora began, setting her own drink down gently. "We have a meeting next week Monday. And you need to be there."

"Well you better pass on the message that I'm not going."

"I would be there if I were you. It's pretty serious." Bora stood out of the seat, seemingly about to leave, but leaned close to Sooyoung's ear. "And if you truly care about your precious princess, you would follow exactly what we say. Unless you want an *accident* to occur..."

Bora walked off to behind the bar and going into the back, leaving Sooyoung sitting there with a loss for words. What the bartender said left a uneasy feeling in her head, making her worried about what she was referring to.

Much to her dismay, Sooyoung had to go to that meeting. She did not want to test their power, or get them pissed off. 

Sometimes, Sooyoung wondered how it got to this point. 

***

"Have you ever dated anyone?"

Hyunjin looked up from her food that was on the table and swallowed the food already in her mouth. 

"No, never." Hyunjin replied. "I've had crushes, but they never went anywhere. I'm not someone who just gives my heart to anyone."

Heejin, who was sitting across from Hyunjin with her own plate of food, hummed in comprehension.

"I get it." Heejin understood. "I don't even think I have a heart to give."

"You do." Hyunjin disagreed. "I can tell. You just don't know how to do it."

"And you do?"

"Not really. Even with what happened with Haseul, I never knew exactly how to love someone. I guess all that romantic stuff is just foreign to me."

"That's fair." Heejin chuckled lightly, taking another bite out of her dinner. "I only ever did hook ups, so it never really crossed my mind."

Hyunjin nodded and they continued eating their food in silence. While she ate, Heejin's mind was running with thoughts. Some of those thoughts were ones she wanted to suppress, but kept coming back when she thought about Hyunjin's answers. They were alike in some ways, which was something Heejin did not notice before. It was amazing what they could of learned about each other when they were not fighting.

When they were finished with their meal, Hyunjin took both their plates to the sink to wash. While she was doing this, Heejin sat there, deep in her thoughts.

"What's on your mind, Heejin?"

Heejin jerked back into reality when she heard Hyunjin's voice. 

"Oh, nothing...." Heejin dismissed, standing up from the table and walking over to the television to watch. 

"So, you've kissed someone before, right?"

Heejin paused from turning on the television and looked at her questioningly from the strange change of subject.

"Yeah?... Why?"

"No reason. Just starting a conversation." Hyunjin calmly explained, but the tone of her voice screamed intention. "Was Ryujin your first?"

"Yeah, she was." Heejin simply confirmed. "When I was twelve. We just did just because we were young and curious. It was a bad first kiss, since we had no idea what the fuck we were doing, but we got better overtime."

"When did you start...being those kinds of friends?"

"Fifteen. As soon as we knew what it was, we just kept doing "that" with each other. I regret it completely, but then I end up going back to it. I wanted to stop years ago, but I guess I never had the will to."

Hyunjin hummed and the conversation paused. After a minute of silence, the sound of water running interrupted it as Hyunjin started to wash the dishes. Realizing it, Heejin switched on the television, settling with what human made movie was playing. Soon, Hyunjin joins her on the couch.

"Shouldn't you be working on solving this case?" Heejin asked, somewhat teasingly.

"Yeah, but I could just rest for today." Hyunjin decided. "We don't have any new clues so it would be redundant."

"Mm."

They watched the movie on the screen, sitting in silence. As the movie progressed, the two moved closer towards each other until there was no space between them. Eventually, Heejin was laying on the couch, head on Hyunjin's lap, with the latter running her fingers through the former's hair haphazardly. By the time the movie was over, Hyunjin was already fast asleep. 

Heejin did not blame Hyunjin though. She has been staying up every night, trying to figure out who was behind the crimes and their motivations, but then ended up coming to a standstill. So Heejin sat up and looked over at Hyunjin, who was deep in slumber. The hybrid almost did want to wake her up from her peaceful state. Despite Hyunjin's usual candid demeanor, she resembled a baby when she was sleeping with pouty lips and light snoring. 

Heejin shook Hyunjin delicately, trying to wake her up gently. When it did not work, she shook her a little more and called her name.

"Hyunjin."

"Hmm?...."

Hyunjin's eyes repeatedly blinked open, slightly unfocused.

"I think we should go to bed." Heejin suggested.

Hyunjin nodded, still half asleep. 

"You know.."

"Yeah?..." 

Hyunjin paused and took a breath.

"I've done this sort of thing with anyone..." Hyunjin began. "But i like it."

"Like what?"

"*This.* You know...what we just did." 

"You mean, cuddling?" Heejin asked, chuckling at the fact that Hyunjin did not know the term.

"Oh, yeah that." Hyunjin smiled sheepishly. 

"You seriously didn't know what it's called?"

"Hey, not everyone is as experienced as you."

"Still, you don't need to be in a relationship to know that." 

They both laughed a bit and headed to their rooms for the night. Before Heejin entered her bedroom, she felt a hand wrap around her own. When she turned around, she saw Hyunjin staring at her with an unsure facial expression. 

"What?..." Heejin asked, confused but started to feel oddly warm.

"I...was just thinking..." Hyunjin's words trailed off. "You seemed pretty sad when you saw me with Haseul and then got surprised when I did not get involved with her."

"Yeah?.."

"Why?"

Heejin avoided Hyunjin's eyes, hesitant and unsure how to respond to her. It was not like she understood why she acted that way either.

"I don't know....I just felt weird." Heejin confessed. "Like, the way you talked about her. You seemed to care about her so much. I got scared, for some reason. And then you two left the gym....alone...I got even more scared. But I don't know why or understand why I cared so much."

"So....you were jealous?"

Heejin looked her in the eyes, not knowing how to respond.

"I guess?..."

"So you seriously don't know what that's called?" Hyunjin joked, mimicking the hybrid's teasing from earlier.

"Yeah, yeah. Well I'm not good with those kind of feelings..."

Hyunjin analyzed the the embarrassed expression of Heejin, curious about what it meant. 

"What were you jealous of?" 

"I don't even know!" Heejin exclaimed, frustrated and confused about her feelings. "I used to hate you, and thought you were annoying! I thought we would never get along, so I just accepted that because we're just complete opposites! And then I started to live here with you, and now everything just changed! I actually can tolerate you and we get along so well that it surprised me! And then we were being all flirty, which I thought would be a joke, but now I like it when we do it! I actually enjoy your company, which scares me! And know I don't know what to feel!"

"Heejin..."

"What? Am I weird? What is going on with me?? Am I losing my mind??" 

Hyunjin sighed, because she understood everything the hybrid was feeling. Even she herself did not know how everything just changed. Maybe they did not even hate each other in the beginning, she did not know. But what Hyunjin had a hint about what was happening between them, despite the lack of experience.

"I think...we like each other."

Heejin stared at her, flabbergasted, before she shook her head, not believing what she was hearing.

"No... that's not possible!" Heejin protested in disbelief. "I...I can't have feelings for anyone! I'm a wind hybrid, we don't get feelings for someone else...I think."

"Wait, that's seriously what you think?" Hyunjin said, somewhere shocked. "You think because of your dragon type that you can never like someone?"

Yes, I mean I've never meant someone else that made me feel anything. No one else that were the same dragon type had a committed relationship, not even my parents! I was created by the result of my parents' ignorance so I just thought it would be the same! It's in our culture, it's who I am! So, I accepted it..."

"Oh my god, Heejin!" Hyunjin raised her voice and held both of the hybrid's hands tighter. "Just because you grew up in a fucked up culture, doesn't mean you have to live by it! You have a choice, you don't have to follow their ways. You are your own person, who can make her own decisions! And...I get that what your parents did fucked you up, trust me I understand, but don't follow in their footsteps and limit what you can be. You should live by your own beliefs, not someone else's!"

Heejin kept quiet, trying to take in Hyunjin's words.

"And if you want to be committed to someone, don't let your past stop you! I don't understand love like that, but I would love to learn with you! I know we didn't get along at first, but now, I think we should at least try to understand what we feel. Maybe it's friendship, maybe we actually like each other, I don't know for sure. But, together, we should figure it out."

"You're...serious?" Heejin finally spoke up. This was new side to Hyunjin she never seen before. Instead, she let her emotions take over for once.

"Yes, I am. I want to know what's going on. We're both inexperienced, so let's find out together. I...want to know if this warm feeling is just a phase or actually means I like you romantically."

"Okay," Heejin replied. "Let's try it. But let's keep it between us. I don't want the others to get in our business and just want us to figure it out without any influence from them."

"Agreed. It's embarrassing, anyway." 

"Good...so what now?"

"I don't know..." Hyunjin confessed. "I didn't think I would get this far."

"You have never kissed anyone before, right?"

"Yeah? Why?" 

Hyunjin had a feeling she knew where this was going, but she did not shy away from it.

"Then...maybe we can start there?" Heejin suggested, still unsure. "I mean, most relationships start out that way, right?"

"Yeah..." Hyunjin agreed. "Let's do it. But don't do anything too...extra."

Heejin cupped Hyunjin's face and brought her closer to her own, all while smirking.

"I can't make any promises, *baby*"

Hyunjin was caught off guard by the sudden pet name and the hybrid's sudden burst of confidence. But, she realized that she actually liked being called that. 

"Fine, do whatever you want, *baby*"

The next few minutes became a rush of foreign but exhilarating emotions. The moment their lips touched, it felt like fireworks were going off inside them. Their lips seemed to move on their own accord, doing whatever felt right. They expected this to just be a minute, but they kept going, unable to stop for even a second. Clearly, the hybrid was experienced with this sort of action, so Hyunjin just let her take control. The kissed escalated as to the point where the hands were all over each other and tongues were dancing. 

Eventually, they did not even know what time it was or how long they were kissing for, but it came to a point where they did not care. Somehow, they made it into Heejin's bed and kept at it.

It kept going until the lack of sleep had started to take its toll and they fell asleep in each other's arms and content smiles on their face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 7! This chapter was mostly dedicated to 2Jin and developing their relationship. Even though this fic is about HyeWon, there are other ships that are important to the story. But don't worry! HyeWon is still my main focus! Now, we had Heejin being bad at feelings and a 2Jin first kiss. They aren't girlfriends, just basically two girls who thought hated each other but now think they like each other and are completely confused about romance. There is going to be a lot of tension between them, but also some sweet moments to! Also, yes, Heejin's jealousy towards Haseul and Hyunjin will come back, so don't think she's over it! On the side note, we also had romance expert Jiwoo help Yerim, which I think is cute! We also had Sooyoung and a new character named Bora, who will show up now again to shake Sooyoung up. Now you get to see where Sooyoung's mindset is in all this. Trust me, next chapter will be revealing some more things and bringing up more questions, so be prepared! Tell me what you think of this chapter in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	8. 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I look into your eyes, and I can see your fear.  
> I listen your voice, and I can hear your worries.  
> I know you can become the best that you could ever be.  
> I want to make sure you get there.  
> 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"Alright, I found the faux food needed for scene 31." Hyunjin carried a box into Kahei's classroom, setting it down on one of the desks. "It includes fruit, vegetables, and some random sweets. Is that okay?" 

Kahei checked a few boxes off of her list and looked up at Hyunjin with a nod.

"Yes! It's perfect, thank you!" 

Kahei opened the box and examined its contents. She wrote a few things on her clipboard.

"All we need is the baking materials." Kahei reads off her list. "We could use my own, I don't think it will matter."

"Sure, whatever works." 

Right after this conversation, Heejin walked into the room, struggling with the heavy boxes she was carrying. Hyunjin quickly acted and took one of the boxes to lighten the load. They practically dropped it down on the floor with sigh of relief.

"You okay?" Hyunjin said, coming to Heejin's side. Ever since the incident that happened where Heejin had gone wild due to that flower, she was not as energetic or strong as she usually is. Clearly, the flower had some long term side effects. Hopefully, it was not permanent.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Heejin smiled, appreciating Hyunjin's worry for her well being. 

Their relationship ever since that night had completely changed. It was only three days ago, but things were already feeling different. They were more aware of each other's feelings and often relished in each other's company. But, they did not want any to know about what was going on between them. It was an experiment, in a way, and they did not want anyone influencing the outcome. They wanted to wait to see if they would end up becoming a couple, and if they did, they would say something. But for now, it was their own little secret.

Which got hard when they wanted to touch each other, but had to hold back. They could not risk raising any suspicion.

"Thank you for your help, Heejin!" Kahei said, cheerfully. "You didn't have to help."

"No, it's cool! I don't really mind. Plus, Hyunjin needed some help so why not." 

"You guys are really close lately, huh?" 

Hyunjin and Heejin looked at each other and back at Kahei, acting confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't know, it just seems like you guys are always together." Kahei said, unpacking one of the boxes. "I mean, I don't know much about you guys, but Yeojin was telling me earlier how weird it was to see Hyunjin hanging out with someone."

"Oh, uh.." Hyunjin stuttered. "I guess? I think when you live with someone for a while, it happens naturally."

"True," The teacher agreed. "Except me and Haseul aren't really going anywhere."

"Ah, yeah she was always secretive and closed off. I mean, she even lied about her name."

"That's weird that she told you a different name. Are you going to ask her?"

"I mean, it's not important. She did tell me that she came here mostly because she wanted to start over with her life. So, maybe that was part of it?"

Kahei hummed and took out one of the props out of the box, taking a closer look. 

"You think this would look good on Haseul?" Kahei asked, showing off a set of big, white and feathery angel wings. "I don't know if it's too big or not but it's still in good condition!"

"It does but why don't we just use our own wings?" Heejin asked.

"We could, but how do they look like?"

"Frost dragon wings are usually very feathery and soft, slightly different from other types. Haseul's wings are pure white, so it could be pulled off as angel wings."

"Well, it could make the wings look realistic..." Kahei pondered on it before she agreed. "Sure! I think that will be interesting!"

Kahei put the wings back in the box and looked over her list once more. She checked a few more boxes, eventually stopping on one.

"Okay, so now we need to check if we have furniture for scene with parents." Kahei declared. "Let's go to the outdoor storage unit and see if what we have."

Hyunjin and Heejin sighed from the exhaustion. They have been working since eight in the morning, so about three hours, trying to get the props and sets together. As much as they loved helping out, it was getting to be a hassle to find and carry all these heavy boxes of props. 

"I know, but we're almost done!" Kahei reassured, already heading out the door. Hyunjin and Heejin groaned, but quickly followed her.

They made it outside, in the backyard of the school, and headed towards the storage unit. Kahei took out her keys and unlocked the closed door. Walking in, they noticed how cluttered and claustrophobic the inside of the unit was. There were a variety of unused items, most of them covered in dust and dirt from how long it has been occupied in the place. All three of them had to walk closely and carefully together, trying not to knock anything over.

"And I thought us dragons were horders." Heejin snorted, slightly amazed but the amount of old stuff they were passing by.

Kahei saw something that caught her eye from a distance and rushed over to if it was what she thought it was. She got there and confirmed that was what she was looking: a set of different backdrops with many scenes, including a city, house, etc.. They were used for their many other plays, so it did not look as old and used as the other things in the unit. 

"Yes, there still here!" Kahei said excitedly, looking through all of the different backdrops. "This is exactly what we need! Let's take it!"

"Great, as long as we can get out of this place" Hyunjin said, feeling uncomfortable from the lack of space.

"Hey, what's this?" Heejin pulled out a book out of box, looking through it curiously.

"That's the school's yearbook." Hyunjin replied, standing next to Heejin while she looked through it. "It's a collection of photos from a school year."

"Huh..." Heejin looked through the yearbook some more before she stopped on a page and exclaimed. "Wait, you went here??"

Hyunjin noticed that Heejin was pointing at a picture of her, way younger of course, in a school's uniform.

"Oh yeah, I did. But that's from like first grade." Hyunjin answered. "This school has been here for decades, so..."

"Wow, you looked cute as child." Heejin complimented, admiring the bubbly smile on the young Hyunjin's face. "And a lot more happier. That's surprising."

" 'Happier'? Am I not happy now?"

"Not really, you give me crabby grandma vibes." Heejin laughed, teasing the now pouty Hyunjin. 

"No I don't..."

"Yeah, you do! You're just missing the dozen cats." 

While Hyunjin was playfully scoffing, Heejin went back to looking through the yearbook, seeing if there were anymore pictures of Hyunjin. Instead, she found the face of someone else she recognized. 

"What is she doing here?" Heejin pointed to the picture of another girl and showed it to Hyunjin. 

"Do you know her?"

"Yeah, she was an old friend. Her name was Lee Yubin. I haven't seen her in like, a decade." Heejin explained. "I never thought she came to school here."

"Well, I've never met her before since she was way older than me." Hyunjin began, "But I remember that she was always the scary quiet kid. My cousin was in her class, and she always told me Yubin was pretty quiet and mysterious, like she was hiding something. We just thought she was shy, but looking back at it, I could see her as a hybrid."

"Yeah, well I guess I know where she went." Heejin realized. "Wonder what she's doing here..."

"Hey guys!!" Kahei called their attention, while trying to carry all the backdrops. "I think I need some help!"

Hyunjin and Heejin groaned as their small break was over. They rushed over and helped her out with the sets. 

***

"Okay, at first this was cute, but now it's getting annoying."

Jinsoul groaned as she watched Hyejoo giggle from across the table. Jungeun just watched the scene, clearly amused.

"Why? I think it's so adorable!!" Jungeun exclaimed, watching the cheerful expression on the flame hybrid's face. "She's in love, leave her be!"

For the past twenty minutes, Hyejoo had been eating while smiling and giggling to herself. Ever since they found out their new ability, Hyejoo and Chaewon were speaking to each other telepathically all the time. They would have private conversations about random things, just fully enjoying and testing the extent of the ability. Turns out, they did not even have to be in the same area to do it, since as of right now they could still talk with Hyejoo at home and Chaewon being at work. 

At first, Jinsoul thought it was adorable. Seeing Hyejoo smiling and thoroughly enjoying herself made her smile. But after this went for almost a week, it got annoying really fast. However, it still appreciated that Hyejoo was a lot more joyful than even a month ago.

"Of course you do..." Jinsoul rolled her eyes, getting up with her now empty plate. 

Jungeun ignored and instead kept looking at the elated hybrid.

"What are you guys talking about now?" 

"Chaewon was telling me about she got a tip just because someone thought she was cute and liked her attitude. It made her day!"

"Aw!!" Jungeun cupped her own cheeks. "That's so cute!!"

"I know right??" Hyejoo exclaimed, before returning to the conversation in her head. 

Jungeun admired the scene one last time before she headed to the couch where Jinsoul sat. She noticed the frown on her wife's face and sat next to her, cuddling into her.

"What's wrong?..."

"It's nothing..."

"Oh come on. Please?..." Jungeun pouted, disappointed by the answer she received. "I'm married to you so I know you so well. Tell me what's the matter."

Jinsoul stayed silent for a while, contemplating her next response. 

"Fine, okay." Jinsoul sighed. "I've just been thinking... about all that's been happening lately."

Jungeun hummed, urging Jinsoul to continue.

"I was thinking about the good...the bad. And, I got a little scared."

"How so?" Jungeun asked, starting to grow worried.

"Well, we don't know what's going to happen next. It seems like when we least expect it, something happens and just makes things worse or bring up more questions. I realized it when what happened to Heejin occured. It was probably an accident, but everything just seems so coincidental. Everyone around is not safe and we don't what's going happen next. Something bad could happen in twenty-four, five, or even one hour from now and we won't know unless it happens. We know hybrids, and they take everything they do seriously. We don't know what they're planning to do next or overall, we can only make predictions or assumptions. What if they're planning on striking on us next? What if they're on to us already? Who can we even trust? It's so frustrating!"

Jungeun sighed because she knew that Jinsoul was right. Everything seemed so secretive and calculate, so none of them could figure it out. They did not know what tomorrow will bring, they just took it as it came, which made them feel paranoid.

"You're right, baby." Jungeun confessed. "I'm scared too. I'm scared for myself, for you, for Hyejoo, for Heejin, and for all the new friends we've made. I'm even scared for Sooyoung, despite us not being that close anymore. I want everything to be okay and for everyone to be happy. But, right now, everything is weird and we feel so unsure for anything."

"Exactly..." 

"But, we can't give up." Jungeun declared, looking her wife straight in the eyes. "We are so close to figuring this out, closer than anyone else! We just need to keep our eyes pealed and put out heads together! It might seem hopeless, but we have each other to bounce off of. Besides, if we don't do this, nobody else will. The council doesn't care and the humans who are trying to get behind it don't have good intentions. We can do this. We just have keep trying!"

Jinsoul took in the extent of Jungeun's words. Usually, the fauna hybrid was lively and did not dwell on anything depressing or frustrating too much. But, this was something that she would rarely do, and right now, Jinsoul needed it.

"You're right. We have to keep trying." Jinsoul agreed, smiling appreciatively. "I'm sorry, I just felt a little defeated."

"I know, and that's okay." Jungeun reassured. "I just want you to be your usual confident self."

"Thank you, baby..."

"Hey," Jungeun started. "Remember the time you told your family that we were getting married?"

Jinsoul chuckled. "How could I not forget? I was terrified that day. My parents never thought we work out and I was worried that they would believe in us just because we weren't follow traditions. They thought an aqua type and a fauna type aren't meant to be together. But I told them, and even if they still did not like it at first, I felt a whole new wave of confidence. I felt like a weight was being lifted off my shoulders and that everything was going right for once. I was ready for the next stage of my life."

"And then we got married." Jungeun finished happily.

"And then we got married. And it was the happiest day of my life." Jinsoul smiled to herself, reminiscing on her favorite memory. "We had a big wedding, and all of our families were there... Hyejoo and Heejin were there.... And then we were had our first kiss as wives and it felt so magical. Then our wedding night was so perfect and then our honeymoon....it was just an unimaginable. But I think what made it so great was that I got to do something I never thought I would do."

"Exactly," Jungeun agreed. "I remember how you changed to being so sure of yourself. Now, remember how that felt and use it to drive yourself forward. Let's do this together, okay?"

"Okay..." Jinsoul wrapped her arm around her wife's waist and brought her close. "I love you."

"I love you too..."

Jinsoul pecked Jungeun on the lips and cuddled close. They loved moments liked this where they just held each other and gave each other affection. It felt really domestic and heartwarming.

"Hey guys- oh wait." Hyejoo walked into the living room, stopping in place when she saw the married couple cuddled up close with each other. "Am I interrupted something?"

"No, you're fine." Jinsoul said, smiling reassuringly. "You're finished conversing with Chaewon?"

"Yeah, the cafe just got busy so she had to start focusing." Hyejoo replied, sitting next to the two of them. "What's up with you two?"

"We just talked..." Jungeun began to reply. "You know, about what we came here for. And, I think we just needed a little boost of confidence, you know?"

"Honestly, us coming here was the best thing we ever did! Not just because I found my soulmate, but because we finally have some answers! Some things are starting to make sense, and now we're closer to solving this then ever! We even found Sooyoung, even if we're on rocky terms. So, I think we just need to keep trying! We have so many more allies, so this will be a lot more easier, right?"

Jungeun and Jinsoul smiled at Hyejoo, with the fauna hybrid petting the flame hybrid on the head.

"Well said." Jungeun complimented. "And that's why you're like my daughter!"

"Yeah, fine...I was just trying to lift the mood..."

Jungeun giggled softly and pulled a pouty Hyejoo into her lap. 

"Well you did a good job." 

Another rare moment: the three of them being loving towards each other. They acted like parents with their child sometimes, especially in moments like this.

Things will get better, even if they felt it was hopeless.

***

"Alright, it's time to lock up!" Seunghee exclaimed, wiping up the last of the tables. "Great work today!"

"Thanks!" Chaewon smiled appreciatively, making sure everything in the shop was in order. "This is the busiest we've been in a while!"

"I'd say!" Seunghee walked up to behind the register, next to Chaewon, and began taking off her apron. "Sooo... how's that girlfriend of yours?"

"Uh, what?" Chaewon blushed, caught off guard by the question. "Oh, yeah, it's going well. But, we're not girlfriends."

"Eh??" Seunghee exclaimed, shocked by her reply. "You can't tell me that you guys aren't lovers! You guys looked so in love on your date!"

"I know, but I don't know if it's too soon...."

"Oh come on!" The older woman places her hands on the younger woman's shoulder and shook her violently. "What are you waiting for?? Just go for it!"

"Come on, Seunghee, leave her be."

A purple haired co-worker walked out of the backroom, scolding her pink haired friend for her pestering. 

"Mihyun, you don't understand!" Seunghee tried to defend herself. "Chaewon is in love with this girl! You should have seen them the other day!!" 

"Can confirm." Shi-ah said, walking in after Mihyun. "They were such lovebirds!"

Chaewon did not know how to feel, just choosing to be embarrassed with her face turning bright red. 

"See? Now you're embarrassing her." Mihyun sighed, grabbing her coat and shaking her head in disappointment.

"Aw, that's so cute!" Seunghee cooed at Chaewon, making her blush even more.

"U-Uh, I gotta go!" Chaewon grabbed her stuff, waved goodbye, and hurried out of the cafe. She did not know why she ran out of there, but all the embarrassment had a play in it. She rushed out of there so fast that she did not even notice the person she was about to bump into. 

"Hey!" The woman exclaimed as the two of them collided, almost knocking each other into the ground. 

Chaewon quickly got herself together to apologize.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"

When the two of them met eyes, Chaewon's eyes widened when she saw who she was looking at.

"Sooyoung?"

"Chaewon?" Sooyoung's eyes blew wide as well. "You...work here?"

"Yeah, I do!" Chaewon replied. "I was just heading back home. Where are you heading?"

"Oh, uh, just Jiwoo's hotel." Sooyoung replied bluntly.

"Well, that is on my way home so...do you want to talk?" The blonde offered, compassionately.

Sooyoung pondered on it, a little hesitant, but eventually rolled with it.

"Sure."

The walk was pretty silent, not knowing what to discuss. They've never actually talked before, only knowing about each other from Jiwoo, so this got pretty awkward. Eventually, Chaewon decided to make an effort to start a conversation.

"So, how are you and Jiwoo doing?" Chaewon asked, trying to break silence.

"Good, good..." Sooyoung replied, almost dismissively. 

Chaewon could she was trying to avoid talking about it, for some odd reason, so she shifting topics. Maybe they were having conflicts, so she did not want to budge.

"Alright well..."

"Chaewon, how are the others doing?"

Chaewon paused and noticed the worry in Sooyoung's face.

"Oh, um, they're good! We've been hanging out a lot lately and they seemed to be getting comfortable here! A few incidents, but overall everything is good."

"Do they...talk about me?"

"Not really. Jinsoul makes sly remarks now and then but they don't actually talk about you. I think they're just trying to give you space."

"Oh.." Sooyoung sounded like she was expecting something, but was surprised she heard the answer.

"You know, I don't think they hate you." Chaewon theorized. "They don't seem hostile, just disappointed. I don't much about your situation with them, since it's not my business, but I think you guys just need to talk it out. Maybe if you guys see each other's perspective then you guys could forgive each other and move forward."

"But, there are some things that I'm not ready to share with them." Sooyoung confessed, looking to the ground in defeat.

"That's okay though!" Chaewon reassured. "I mean, I don't what's going on, but whenever you're ready, I'm pretty confident that they'll listen. They're just worried about you, so just reassure them that it's okay and that they don't have to worry about you. Besides, I'm sure those things aren't as bad as you think."

*'I wish it was'*

"I'll think about it. But thank you." Sooyoung had a lot on her mind, and one of those things was her relationship with her old friends. She did not know there stance or whether they were speaking out of anger or disappointment. Or, even if they still meant what they said. But, Sooyoung knew that if she did not act soon, they would be the next targets. For now, she would keep those "things" a secret until she had the chance.

It was a waiting game at this point.

Eventually, they made it to Chaewon's apartment door and waved their goodbyes. They did not speak much, but at least Chaewon got an understanding of where Sooyoung's head was. The hybrid was just scared and confused, and not intentionally trying to hurt her dear friends. Hopefully, they get to come to terms with each other and forget about the past.

"Thank you for your what you said. I really was afraid before but now I think I might try again to apologize." Sooyoung said with a little more confidence. At least now, she had someone she could talk to about these sort of matters. Jiwoo was kindhearted and fun, but often overlooks things if it's too complicated to comprehension or are just not her business. Chaewon was a lot more open minded and calming to talk to, which Sooyoung appreciated.

"Great, you know you can talk to me anytime!" Chaewon handed over her phone to Sooyoung. "Put in your number so we can talk when you need it."

Sooyoung nodded and proceeded to add her number into her contacts.

"Thank you." Sooyoung said, handing back the phone. 

"Anytime!" 

"Also, one more thing...."

"Yeah?"

"How is...Hyejoo?" Sooyoung said hesitantly.

"Oh, she's great! She's smiling a lot more and really seems to be enjoying this place."

"And you."

"Huh?" Chaewon said, tilting her head in confusion. 

"Jiwoo told me you two were going out." Sooyoung clarified. "I guess Hyejoo talked about her feelings towards you to Jiwoo, and she seemed really happy and in love. Based on what Jiwoo told me about the conversation, I've never heard Hyejoo ever be so passionate or fascinated about someone, well, ever. I guess what I'm saying is, is that I'm thankful for your help."

"O-Oh..." Chaewon stuttered, blushing. She never knew Hyejoo felt so strongly about her feeling towards herself. Hyejoo was always flirty, but never discussed her feelings so openly. But the part that made her blush was the fact that she was the reason behind Hyejoo's passion coming back. 

"It's no problem but I didn't do much... I guess it's because we're soulmates..."

"Really?" Sooyoung eyes widened. "That oddly makes sense. But, you two look good together."

"Oh, thanks?" Chaewon said, surprised by the comment.

"No problem. Now I better get going. I'll see you soon." Sooyoung waved as she began walking away.

"See you, Sooyoung!"

As she saw the hybrid walk away, Chaewon felt hopeful for the future. Maybe, the relationship between Sooyoung and the others will be improved. Only time will tell.

But then, Chaewon's eyes lit up when she got an idea. An idea that could work if it's executed perfectly.

She just needed to contact Jiwoo.

*"Hello?"*

"Yeah, Jiwoo?" 

*"Chaewonie, good to hear you! What's going on?"*

"Well it's kind of spontaneous but... I need to ask you a favour. And you have to keep it a secret."

*"What do you need?"*

"Well, here's that plan...."

***

"Okay Haseul, you can come out now!"

Just as she was command, Haseul came out of the closet wearing the costume she was given. She was wearing a long pure white dress with long sleeves and a dirndl skirt. She also had on silvery dress shoes with two inch heels. But the main attraction was the feathery dragon wings Haseul had on her back. They were big, as large as most of her body, and seemed to have a dull shimmer to it. Simply put, Haseul definitely looked like the angel she was going to portray. 

"Oh wow..." Kahei awed, putting her hands in front of her mouth. "You look stunning!"

"You think so?" Haseul said in disbelief. 

"Yeah! You look like an angel princess!" Yeojin complimented, smiling widely from student's desk she was sitting at.

"I have never been called such before." Haseul confessed, a slight sadness in her voice. 

"Well, you should be called that more often. With or without the dress." Kahei said appreciatively, still admiring how the hybrid looked.

"Thank you..." Haseul said, showing a soft smile and rosy cheeks.

"The kids are about to come back from their field trip!" Yeojin reminded Kahei. "We should probably start getting everything in order and meet them!"

"Good idea." Kahei agreed. "How about you check that everything in the gym is ready and Haseul and I can get the students?"

"Sure, we can do that!"

The three of them headed out of the classroom, with Yeojin going to the gym and Kahei and Haseul headed outside to greet the children. As soon as the two got there, they could see the school bus pulling into the front of the school. They had headed to a mini Christmas festival that they go to annually. It was only for four hours, but the children seemed to really enjoy it.

As Kahei and Haseul got up to the bus, the doors began the open. The first student that came out was Yuri, wearing a small Christmas hat with gloves, a long coat, and scarf. As soon as she got out and saw Haseul, her eyes lit up brightly and her mouth opened wide.

"Are you an angel?..." Yuri said in awe, not believing what she was seeing. 

"U-Um, I suppose so?" Haseul responded, not knowing how to respond to the young girl.

As more kids filed out of the bus, their eyes caught a glance at Haseul and they stared at her as if they were meeting a superhero, completely amazed by how she looked. They practically crowded around her, giving compliments and gazing in wonderment.

"Are you an actual angel??"

"Can you do magic??"

"Can you actually fly??"

Haseul did not know what to do, being bombarded with questions and having all the attention. She never did well with any sort of spotlight, causing her to just smile and nod to not cause conflict. Kahei noticed how uneasy Haseul looked, and tried to get the kids attention away from the hybrid.

"Alright children! It's time to go inside so we can give show you all the props and start giving out costumes!" 

The students heard this and immediately got excited and started to head inside, rushing to the gym. All except Yuri, who still had eyes on her.

"Um.." Yuri whispered, pulling on Haseul's dress to get her attention. "I just wanted to say that I can't wait for you to be in the play with me. You look like you are really fun!"

"Oh...um..." Haseul looked down at Yuri, stuttering a bit. "Thank you. We will fun together."

Haseul gave a small smile to the little girl, making the girl smile brightly back.

"Alrighty!"

Yuri hugged her as tight as she could, and then scurried away with her class. Haseul watched her hurry away, with a curious look on her face. For some reason, Yuri reminded Haseul of someone, but she did not know who.

"Are you okay?" Kahei asked worriedly. 

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Let's get inside. We have a lot to do and I know you will have fun!"

Still pondering, Haseul simply nodded and followed the teacher inside the building. 

***

"Excuse me, Hyunjin?" 

Hyunjin looked up from her computer to see Chaeryeong hovering over her, concerned. Hyunjin had to go in to work today, since she had to work on something for her boss. Hyunjin realized that this was the first time she had been separated from Heejin since she got here, and she never realized the hybrid's effect on her mood until now. Hyunjin just wanted to finish as soon as possible so she could get home.

For now, she just had to cope.

"What's wrong, Chaeryeong?" Hyunjin asked, concerned over Chaeryeong's fearful expression. 

"Um, there's someone here who I think you should know about. She wants to see you."

"Who?"

"Well..."

Chaeryeong took Hyunjin down the elevator to the floor below, and showed the older woman to her department. When they got to her office, there was lady standing there and leaning against the desk. When the lady noticed her, her expression grew more serious and glared at her. She had grayish brown hair that went to her shoulders, her eyes looked cold and somewhat lifeless, and she wore very casual clothes: a black plain T-shirt and blue jeans. 

"So, apparently, her name is Yubin." 

"Yubin?" Hyunjin exclaimed, recognizing the name. She and Heejin had just discussed her yesterday, and here she was. 

Hyunjin noted that she looked no different than over a decade ago: still scary looking and distant. 

"What are you doing here?" Hyunjin asked.

"You." 

"What?"

"You heard me." Yubin took a few steps forward, getting closer to Hyunjin. "It's you."

"I don't know what you're referring to but-"

"I know what you're up to." Yubin said bluntly, anger boiling in her voice. "You have allowed herself to get too involved with this. I know you think you can figure it out, but you live never even get close."

Hyunjin stared flabbergasted at this woman. She had a feeling she knew what Yubin was referring to, but how did she know what Hyunjin was doing?

"I'm sorry, but how do you know anything?"

"I know a lot more than you think I know. I know what you're trying to do. And I would tread carefully if I were you. You don't what you're getting yourself into." Yubin warned, clenching your fists.

"I'm sorry, but you don't scare me." Hyunjin said, unbothered by the threatening. "We are trying to save everyone, not just humans. You guys who supporting this underground gangs are leading our society backwards. What we built will fall apart and we'll go back to how it was during the war. You are on the wrong side, so if I were you, I would helping us instead of being selfish."

"Selfish?" Yubin let out a sinister chuckle. "You don't know much about what happens behind the scenes, do you? You humans are all ignorant to what you've done, and now it's time to learn a lesson."

"We will stop you before you do. You're stupid for revealing yourself to me. Now, you've just made my job easier."

"Oh please, we're already miles ahead of you. We know more than you think we know. For example..." Yubin leaned in close to Hyunjin and whispered. "... Looks like you got Heejin wrapped around your little finger, huh?"

Hyunjin stepped back, taken off guard. How did she know about Heejin and her? Of course, she knew Heejin, but they have not seem each other in years. How did she even know Heejin was here?

"H-How?..."

"Exactly. So I'm going to give you a warning." Yubin leaned to Hyunjin's ear and whispered. "Stop your stupid little investigation, or you can watch everyone you care about slowly disappear... your choice."

Yubin promptly walked off, not looking back. Clearly, her intentions were to pass a message, and now that was done. But that left Hyunjin standing there, somewhat frightened and confused. What was she, or whoever she was working for, planning? How would she anything they were doing? So many questions, too few answers. Now, she started to feel paranoid about everyone and everything.

Could she even tell anyone of this? What would they do then?

"Uh...Hyunjin?" Chaeryeong's voice quivered. "What is going on?"

Hyunjin stood, still shaken up. She felt puzzled, afraid, and slightly frustrated. Too many thoughts went through her head. 

"I...don't even know."

***

"Wow, I look so good!" Jungeun exclaimed, twirling around and admiring her outfit. Being one of the parents of the little girl in the play, the fauna hybird had to dress accordingly. She wore a flowy A-line dress with a light pink color, as well as small glasses to make her look older and more mature. 

"Actually, this is not half bad." Jinsoul shrugged, smiling at what she was wearing. Jinsoul was the other parent with Jungeun, so she had to look accordingly as well. So, she had on a black dress suit with black dress shoes to match. Her black hair was also in a ponytail, with matching glasses with Jungeun. 

"I think it's perfect! Beside..." Jungeun eyed her wife, looking at her up and down. "You look so hot in it."

"Can you not be horny in public?" Jinsoul rolled her eyes.

"Well I can't help it when you where something like this..." Jungeun said in a perverted way, smirking and continuing to check out her wife.

"Oh my god, can you guys not?" Hyejoo complained, shaking her head in embarrassment as she watched.

"Are they always this...um..." Kahei asked, trying to find the right word to finish her question.

"Sexual? Perverted? Horny as fuck?" Heejin finished without no hesitation.

"I mean, I was looking for a less outright phrasing, but yeah that."

"Yeah, all the time." Heejin replied, chuckling. "But then again, we all are, so..."

"Ah.. understood. I'll keep that in mind, I guess." Kahei nodded, wishing to move on from the subject. "Anyways, let's go to gym so we can start running through the play."

"Sure, let's go." Jinsoul agreed, with herself, Hyejoo, and Jungeun following behind.

Heejin was about to follow as well, but then he looked back at Hyunjin, who had not said a word since they got to the school. Come to think of it, Hyunjin barely said anything since yesterday when she got home from work, only responding vaguely to questions and keeping their conversations brief. Since they have been at the school to help with the play, Hyunjin chose to sat in one of the seats, staying silent while the others conversed. 

Even right now, Hyunjin had a serious look on her face, deep in thought. She did not even notice Heejin walking up to her.

"Hey, are you good?" Heejin asked, snapping Hyunjin back into reality.

"Oh, yeah....I'm good." Hyunjin said, still distracted. 

"You don't sound like it." 

Hyunjin sighed, knowing that this hybrid would not drop it. She wanted to tell her what happens yesterday, just to get it off her chest. But Hyunjin did not want to bring Heejin into this. Yubin sounded seriously and like she knew a lot more than she let on. Hyunjin did not know how much weight those threats held, but she did not want to risk Heejin or anyone getting hurt. She would have to handle this on her own.

"It's really nothing, Heejin." Hyunjin said, trying to reassure her. "I'm just tired from everything going on lately. But trust me, I'm okay."

"Alright then.." Heejin did not fully believe it, but she did not want to bother Hyunjin too much.

"We should probably get going before people get suspicious." Hyunjin suggested, let out a light chuckle to lighten the mood.

"Let them be suspicious." Heejin chuckled back, giving Hyunjin a quick kiss on the cheek. 

"Aw...you really do care about me." Hyunjin teased, making Heejin roll her eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself. Now let's go." Heejin crossed her arms, somewhat embarrassed, and walked away without another word. Hyunjin followed her, laughing at the hybrid's reaction. 

When they got to the gym, they noted how different it looked. Before, it was clean and empty, but now it is filled with all equipment they brought out two days ago. The floor was littered with clothes and boxes, and there were kids excitedly running around and conversing. The first scene was set up, a backdrop of a city on the right side of the gym. 

"What took you two so long?" Hyejoo asked in suspicion, walking up to them both.

"None of your business, kid." Heejin said, trying to sound nonchalant while putting a hand on her shoulder. "So, what are we doing?"

"First of all, I'm 21 years old, not a kid!" Hyejoo protested, trying to sound serious but ended up sounding like a child. "Secondly, we are about to practice the first scene with the little girl, Ezra, and the angel, I think."

"I can't believe this is how human plays are. They're so simple and boring."

"Well, what do you expect?" Hyunjin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know, fighting? Murder? Mass genocide?" 

"Mass genocide....for a second grade play?" 

"I mean, they know what death." Heejin shrugged. "I knew what sex was at that age."

"But- nevermind." Hyunjin just decided to drop it since it was obvious that dragon children and human children were brought up pretty differently. 

"Hyunjin."

Hyunjin turned away from Heejin towards who ever called her name, which turned out to Haseul, standing there nervously. She was in the costume from yesterday, looking beautiful wearing a pure white dress and wings out. However, this was the first time Hyunjin saw here in something like this, so it made her stare in shock.

"Haseul?...." Hyunjin awed, lost on what to say. "Why are you wearing this?..."

"It is for my role: the angel." Haseul replied. "Does it look right?"

"Oh, uh, yeah!" Hyunjin stuttered, slightly flustered. "You look nice. It really suits you."

"Thank you." Haseul smiled, eyes lighting up.

Heejin watched the scene in front of her, and that feeling came back. "Jealousy" is what Hyunjin called it. Even though Hyunjin said they were just friends now, Heejin was still having doubt in the back of her mind. From the way Hyunjin reacted, to how Haseul seemed to be eager about interacted with her. It felt off in her mind.

Heejin moved closer to Hyunjin and placed a hand on her shoulder possessively. She did not know why she did this, especially when they were trying to be subtle, but her "jealousy" just took of her better judgement.

"Aren't you supposed to be in first scene?" Heejin said, trying to hide the anger in her voice.

"Yes, but they still need ten minutes." Haseul replied.

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure you should probably run your lines with the little girl, you know? Just to make sure it goes well."

"Oh, maybe you are right." Haseul agreed, not noticing the slight annoyance in the wind hybrid's voice and simply walked away.

"What was that?" Hyunjin asked, confused by Heejin's actions.

"No reason." Heejin gave her a fake smile, which was obvious to Hyunjin but decided to ignore for the fact it just came from uncontrolled jealousy.

"I am...just gonna go." Hyejoo started to walk off, feeling awkward, while muttering under her breath: "you two are weird..."

"You gotta learn to control that, you know that right?"

"What? I have no idea what you're talking about." Heejin said sarcastically, her fake smile growing wider. 

"Right..." Hyunjin rolled her eyes. She knew Heejin was one to be jealous, based on their conversation from a few days ago, and she did blame her since she had no experience with this sort of feelings. But if she keeps her possessiveness get the better of her, people will find out.

But Hyunjin did not feel any resentment towards it. If anything, it helped distract her from what occured just a day previous. 

Only for a little while, though.

"Alright, let's start with the first scene!" Yeojin called from the middle of the room, prompting everyone to get in their place. Most of the children sat down since they were not in the scene. Everyone except Kahei, Haseul, and Yuri were in the middle of the gym floor, waiting for what will happen next. 

Kahei said a few words to Yuri, which was inaudible to everyone else. As Kahei spoke to her, the little girl's face went from looking nervous to looking more confident. Haseul, who was standing a couple feet away noticed this, and even though she could not hear everything, she still could help but have a tiny smile. One thing that Haseul liked about Kahei was her ability to understand and comfort others. Maybe that is why Haseul got along well with Kahei, despite her not being social in the slightest.

"Okay, we can start now!" Kahei announced, giving Yuri a hug before returning to the others and standing next to Yeojin in the center.

"Alright, guys! Yuri, just stand in the center of the backdrop and do just as we rehearsed!" Yeojin called out.

Yuri followed her directions and walked over to the middle of the city backdrop. She was wearing an simple but cozy outfit: a pink heavy coat that was as long as down to her knees, a white winter's hat with bunny ears on it, and finally gray gloves and pink UGGs that matched her coat. It was supposed to be a Christmas Eve night, so the outfit worked perfectly. Yuri stood there, looking as if she was going over some things in her head and gathering confidence.

"Will she be okay?" Hyejoo asked to Kahei, noticing the little girl's worry. "She looks a little nervous."

"I know she will. She might have a little fear, but she has a gift with acting. Trust me, she just needs to trust herself." Kahei replied, eyes staying on Yuri and smiling.

"Alright, scene one!" Yeojin called out to Yuri. "Ready, and....action!"

Just as this was said, it looked like something switched on within the little girl. Yuri immediately got into character, face changing into what she was supposed to portray. She began looking and walking around, looking lost.

| Ezra walked around the city, trying to get anyone's attention.

Ezra: Hello?... Can anybody help me?.. I lost my mommy and daddy... Please...

Haseul watched the young girl act, completely concentrated. Yuri was completely invested into her character as Ezra, the lost little girl. She looked terrified and vulnerable, jerking around and trying to desperately to communicate with city people that were not even there. It was quite impressive, especially for someone her age. 

This made Haseul more nervous than she already was. This was the first time she took part in a play, not to mention as one of the main characters. She was afraid she would mess up and disappoint Kahei. But, Haseul wanted to help her out, since Kahei seemed to have so much faith in her, maybe a little too much. So, she would just have to try her best.

"Okay, that's perfect!" Yeojin complimented, amazed by Yuri's performance. "You did amazing! Great job!"

"Thank you..." Yuri said, smiling shyly. 

"Okay, Haseul, you're next!" 

Haseul visibly tensed and her she got even more frightened. She looked over at all of her friends and students staring at her, and got a little shaky.

"Haseulie!" Jungeun called out, getting the frost hybrid's attention. "You can do it!"

"B-But...what if I..." Haseul stuttered under her breath.

"Trust in yourself!" Hyunjin called out, also catching the jittery hybrid off guard. 

Haseul looked at all of her friend's encouraging faces and warming smiles. But the one that stood out the most was Kahei, her genuine smile as she looked at her the same way a mother would look at her child. It gave her a little more motivation, but Haseul still felt unsure. Suddenly, there was tug on her dress followed by a soft voice.

"Hey, you want to know what I do when I'm nervous?" Yuri said, smiling brightly before continuing. "I think about my kitties. They always make me smile and laugh because they're so weird sometimes. Then, I giggle so much that I forget about how nervous I was."

"Really?" Haseul said, pondering on the idea.

"Yeah! Or you can think about everyone being in their underwear! That's funny too!"

Haseul could not help but grin at the young girl's adorableness. She did follow the advice, thinking about her friends in their underwear, and immediately giggled.

"See! Do you feel better?"

"Yes, I feel much better." Haseul nodded. "Thank you."

"No problem! Now let's do this! Are you ready?" Yuri cheered, pumping up her fist.

Haseul look at Yuri, then at the audience, then back at her and softly smiled. 

"Yes. Let us do this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 8! There was a lot that happened this chapter! We have the introduction of Yubin, who will show up now and again to intimidate Hyunjin. Whether she is bluffing or not, you will have to see! We also had Chaewon having a talk with Sooyoung and we got to get a glimpse into Sooyoung's thoughts. Chaewon will definitely play the role of the peacemaker in this story, and seemingly the person most of them talk to, so expect more situations like this in the future. We also had a cute moment with Jinsoul and Jungeun, which revealed some of their back story as a couple. And then the last major thing to happen was with Haseul. Honestly, I enjoyed writing those parts! Haseul is probably one of my favorite characters to write, just because she is like me in many ways. Also, because I think all orbits, including me, misses Haseul right now. So, I loved including that in this chapter. I do want to stress that Haseul's journey is not yet over, and will only get more heart wrenching from here. Not yet, but when it does, I will be sure to put warnings. ♡ Anyways, tell me what you think of this chapter!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	9. 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> why do you show up at the strangest times?  
> why do you give me information I can't comprehend?  
> you come in my life and turn it upside down.  
> but I could not help but be amazed since  
> 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

After getting encouragement from her friends and the young girl, Haseul felt a newly found confidence she never had before. This was a new feeling for her, and it felt so good. She did not want to lose this feeling. 

Haseul was able to maintain this confidence throughout the rehearsal, acting out her scenes to the best of her abilities. It was not perfect, stumbling on lines a few times, but she was able to recover quickly. One thing that Haseul seemed to be a natural at was projecting emotion. She got into her character as the angel with seemingly no problem, despite having no experience in acting. It just came with ease, allowing both Yuri and Haseul to have fun with their roles. 

They did not get through the whole play, but they got through a good chunk of it, with more kids being added to the scenes as they went along. It was extremely fun for the frost hybrid, feeling content about how much joy she felt. When they finished, Haseul's friends were quick to praise her on her hard work, making her smile wider than she has ever done before. Yuri was one of the ones who praised her the most, calling her brave and "a true angel". Haseul realized how much she saw herself in this girl, and that is what drew her to the young girl. 

When it was time for everyone to go home, every kid's parents came to the gym to pick them up. Yuri ended up being the last child there so Haseul decided to take her near the entrance of the school and waited with her until someone came to pick her up.

"And then, my kitty tried to eat my toy food, thinking they were real! She looked so mad she could not do it, it was so funny!"

Haseul let out a light laugh, grinning widely.

"That is so cute! I love you cats!" 

"I know right? I love them too! They make me happy everyday!" Yuri cheerfully agreed. "I can't wait to see them when I get home!"

Behind them, the door to the school opened and Hyunjin walked outside. 

"She is still here?" Hyunjin asked, confused since the little girl had been over thirty minutes after everyone else left. It was almost six pm, so this was unusual.

"Yes, but I do not mind." Haseul reassured. "She is great company."

"Yeah, but this is a little weird."

"Don't worry! My older sister is always late! She has a lot of work to do!" Yuri said, unbothered.

"Your sister? What about your parents?" 

"My mommy and daddy don't like me very much. I don't see them anymore.." Yuri frowned, bowing her head. "But my sister lives me a lot! She's just busy sometimes!"

Hyunjin sighed. "Alright..."

"Are you tired?" Haseul asked Hyunjin, who shook her head.

"No, just really want to get home. I have some things to take care of." Hyunjin replied.

"Of course you are." Haseul chuckled. "You always had things to do since day one I met you. You often overwork yourself."

"Yeah, but I'm working on it." Hyunjin confirmed, chuckling with the frost hybrid. "I just can't really rest until figure out what's going on."

"I know you can do it. You are already intelligent, you just need to find more information and it will all come together."

"I sure hope so..." Hyunjin sighed. Even if she knew someone who was to be involved, how she would figure out their plan or how they would stop them was still up in the air.

"Yubin!!"

Yuri ran from beside Haseul into the arms of a woman who just walked up to the school. Hyunjin was immediately on high alert when she heard the name and saw the face of the woman.

"Hey Yuri! How was school today?" Yubin asked, pulling away from the hug. 

"Good! I was the main character in the play and I made a friend!" Yuri responded, jumping excitedly and pointing to Haseul.

Yubin smiled lovingly at her younger sister before looking towards Haseul and Hyunjin. As soon as she saw Hyunjin, she smirked and walked up to them both.

"Thank you so much for taking care of my sister. I'm sorry that I came late, I had some *unfinished business* to take care of." Yubin said, a sinister underlying intention behind her voice.

"It is fine. Yuri was great company." Haseul reassured, oblivious to how suspicious the older sister sounded. "She must be a wonderful sister."

"She is." Yubin turned to Hyunjin. "Oh, fancy seeing you here. This really is such a small world, isn't it?"

"Sure." Hyunjin rolled her eyes, not buying Yubin's overly courteous attitude. 

"Sis, can Haseul come over to our house sometime? She's really nice!"

"Of course. Anytime she wants." Yubin smirked.

Hyunjin had an uneasy feeling about how Yubin replied to her little sister's question. It sounded conniving, and Hyunjin became even more suspicious about her. Was this part of her plan or was Yubin playing with her? But one this was for sure, Hyunjin would not let anything happen to any of her friends, even if she put her in danger.

"Well, we better head home." Yubin said, holding Yuri's hand.

"Aw...okay! Bye Haseul!" Yuri waved goodbye as the pair of sisters walked away. 

Hyunjin could of sworn that she saw Yubin wink at her before she left, which raised her worry even more.

"Are you okay, Hyunjin?"

"Hm?" Haseul sighed before answering. "Yeah, don't worry about it."

"Take care of yourself, okay? I do not want to see you stressed." Haseul said encouragingly.

They both looked at each other and shared genuine smiles. One thing that Haseul always did that Hyunjin appreciated was how caring she was for everyone. Whether she had just met them or knew them years, Haseul always had a heart for everyone. 

Out of nowhere, the door to the school opened and Heejin stepped outside.

"Kahei wanted me to see if Yuri is....oh."

Heejin looked at Haseul and Hyunjin repeatedly and her expression just dropped. She frowned and crossed her arms.

"Right. I'll just leave you two alone." Heejin said, sounding a little hurt as she promptly turned around and went back inside the school building, forcefully shutting the door behind her.

*'And there goes another issue...'*

***

"So, did the play rehearsal go well?" Chaewon asked, cooking some dinner while Hyejoo was conversing with her.

"Yeah, everything went great! All the kids really loved acting in it and Haseul actually did really and started to get out of her shell. Also..." Hyejoo leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Chaewon's waist from behind. "... they really liked your script too."

"Really??!" Chaewon excitedly turned around, making Hyejoo let go of her and jump backwards. "They really liked it?!"

"Uh, yeah! The kids really loved acting it out, and Kahei and Yeojin seemed impressed!"

"Oh my god, thank goodness..." Chaewon let out a sigh of relief, as if a lot of weight was let off her shoulders. "I was so worried..."

"You don't say?" Hyejoo said sarcastically, playfully rolling her eyes. 

"Yeah, I know, maybe I freaked out a little too much... But I've haven't made a script since high school drama class so I was worried!" 

"It's okay, I get it." Hyejoo chuckled. "Well, no, I don't understand plays and stuff, or "drama class", but I know how it feels to want to do well. But, at the end of the day, you did amazing so be proud of yourself."

"Thank you, Hyejoo..." Chaewon said appreciatively, staring at her lovingly.

The relationship between Chaewon and Hyejoo was getting better by the day. It seemed to just come naturally, like they were meant to be together *(which they technical were)*. They just seemed to understand each other, despite them just meeting less than a month ago. They never fought, mostly because they would just let each other win. Hyejoo never thought after her first girlfriend that she would find someone, but dating Chaewon made the hybrid forget all about her. And Chaewon really was not interested in dating, but now meeting Hyejoo changed her point of view. It is crazy how having your soulmate could change someone this fast.

"Now, leave and let me finish cooking."

"Aww..." Hyejoo whined, pouting her lips. "But you were gone all day...I missed you..."

Chaewon giggled at the flame hybrid's cuteness. Even though Hyejoo presented herself as being tough, she acted just like a baby under the surface. 

"I know... Just give me ten minutes, okay?" Chaewon sympathized. "And then you will have be for the rest of the night!"

"Fine..." Hyejoo frowned but gave in, turning to walk away.

Then, all of a sudden, Hyejoo felt her right hand burning up.

"Ow!!" Chaewon quickly jerked back, dropping the cover of the pot to the ground. 

"Are you okay?!" Hyejoo quickly rushed to Chaewon's side, who was holding up her right hand that was turning red.

"I should've worn a mitt before taking off the pot cover- ow!" 

Chaewon rushed over the sink and ran cold water over her burning hand, which seemed to cool it down just a bit. Hyejoo then felt her own hot hand starting cool down as well. She looked at both of their hands and then her eyes widened in realization and disbelief.

"Chaewon...I think I just discovered the next phase of our bond..."

"Ow... what?" Chaewon asked, turning off the running water and looking at her curiously.

Hyejoo just simply held up her right hand that was still red and burning slightly. Chaewon looked at the hand, back at her own, and then back at it, mouth agape.

"Oh my god..." Chaewon gasped. "So...I did that to you?"

"Uh, yeah I guess so since it came out of nowhere." Hyejoo shrugged, examining her hand.

"Wait, does it hurt??"

"No, but that could be because flame dragons don't get burnt easily, or at least it does not hurt, unless it's inflicted by other flame dragons." Hyejoo explained.

A major perk of being a flame type was that they could withstand high temperatures without feeling any pain. The only time it could hurt is if another flame type burnt you, since their fire was hotter than anything on Earth. If a regular human got burnt directly from the fire, they would have the body burnt off immediately and be dead in minutes.

"Oh...okay good!" Chaewon sighed in relief. "But, so if this is part of the whole soulmate thing, then does that mean we can each other by hurting ourselves?"

"I don't know...this is weird."

"Hey, are you children okay??" Jungeun called out worriedly, walking into the kitchen with Jinsoul. "I heard something drop onto the floor, and someone shouting." 

"Jungeun, Jinsoul, is this part of our, you know, soulmate thing?" Hyejoo asked, as both her and Chaewon held up their reddening hands.

Jungeun and Jinsoul looked at these hands, confused at what they were hinting at, but then Jinsoul stepped back and put her hands over her mouth whilst Jungeun gasped.

"Oh my god, so it is true!" Jungeun exclaimed, completely surprised.

"What?"

"This is the next phase of your bond profession." Jinsoul explained. "You guys can feel each other's pain. Basically, if one of you gets hurt, then the other will feel that same pain but at a less severe dose. So, for example, say if Chaewon broke her wrist, you, Hyejoo, would feel a painful sensation in that same wrist until it healed, but it wouldn't be broken."

"Wow..." Chaewon said in awe. "Well, that's not good since I hurt myself pretty often!"

"It's okay, hybrids have a really good resistance to pain so I don't mind." Hyejoo reassured, brushing off the blonde's worry. "But then, what happens if...one of us dies?"

"Well that's the thing! Soulmates are born to die together, so if one of you dies, the other will too - natural or otherwise." Jungeun further explained.

"Well then, prepare to live for over a hundred more years!" Hyejoo joked to Chaewon, lightening the mood. 

The average lifespan of a dragon was about two hundred years, over twice as much as a human. Although, if a dragon was lucky, they could even reach between two hundred and fifty to three hundred years, even though it was rare.

"Wait, are you guys like vampires? Do you guys age or..." Chaewon asked, curious from the new information.

"I mean, yes and no. We can age, but most of us stop aging when we are in our thirties. That's why a hybrid that is one hundred could still look young." Hyejoo explained to her.

"Wait, so you guys know what vampires are, but not Santa?" Chaewon questioned, almost teasingly.

"Well, vampires have existed for centuries and are kind of close with us, while Santa is a human thing."

"Wait, so they exist??" 

"Okay, we're getting off topic!" Jungeun exclaimed, laughing at where their conversation had went. "Anyway, this means your bond is getting stronger. Soon, you guys will share more things."

"Like what?" Hyejoo asked.

"Like, emotions. For example, if one of you gets sad over something, then the other will start feeling down for no reason. But that won't be happening for a while!"

"All of this is so surreal..." Chaewon said, in awe of all she had been told. Over a month ago, if you had told Chaewon that she would have a soulmate and would have to through this "bonding process", she would of never believed it. But now, this was really happening and Chaewon was both excited and nervous. 

"I know it might seem strange now.." Jinsoul started, "but soon it will all make sense overtime. You two were bonded for a purpose, so you just have to be patient."

"Don't worry, we're in no rush or anything." Hyejoo clarified. "It's just weird how we came here for one purpose, and then all of this stuff keeps happening."

"Well, I guess some things just happen for a reason, you know?" Jungeun said, shrugging slightly.

It was true that all of these occurrences seemed like coincidence - especially when it came to the twelve of them. No matter what happened to one of them, it always seemed to lead back to one or all of them. Maybe it was some sort of destiny, and maybe they all had a purpose to be together as twelve. Hopefully, it will make sense soon.

After everything was situated, they all sat down in the living room and ate their dinner while watching TV. When it reached nine o'clock, they all decide to go to bed since they were already falling asleep. Jinsoul went to bed first, with Hyejoo following behind to Chaewon's room. Before going to bed, Chaewon watched the dishes and made sure the kitchen was clean. After she checked on her pets, she almost went to her bedroom until she noticed Jungeun sitting on the floor, criss-cross, with eyes closed.

At first, Chaewon thought she had fallen asleep, so she just lightly shook the fauna hybrid to get her to wake up. But when Jungeun opened her eyes, she did not look drowsy or like she had been sleeping.

"Did you need something?" Jungeun asked, looking up at the blonde.

"Oh, no! I just thought you had fallen asleep." Chaewon tried to explain. "But, I guess you weren't?"

"No, just meditating." Jungeun replied, chuckling at her. "I do it whenever I have things on my mind. It's a way of reflecting on my thoughts and relax before bed."

"Oh... I've never done that before. It really works?"

"Yeah, it relieves a lot of stress or tension." Jungeun patted on the space on the floor next to her. "Sit."

Chaewon pondered on whether she should join Jungeun, but decided to sit down next to her since she had nothing else better to do. Besides, maybe she could get some things off her chest.

"Alright, now close your eyes."

Chaewon did as the fauna hybrid said and closed them.

"Good. Now breathe in and out to relax your mind." Jungeun whispered, with Chaewon following her instructions.

After a few minutes, Jungeun spoke up again.

"Now, tell me what's on your mind. Anything that's making you stress out or just something you want to share."

Chaewon bit her lip and became hesitant. She never really shared any of her problems or thoughts with anyone (besides Hyejoo, of course) so this was uncomfortable for her. Even with Jiwoo, she would always hide some of her issues just to avoid herself seeming like she pushing them onto others.

"Take your time." Jungeun reassured. "There's no rush."

"Um..." Chaewon took a deep breath. "Well, I guess it's a few things. First, it's about the whole soulmate thing...."

"What about it?"

"I just feel....like I'm not good enough." Chaewon confessed. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I love that I found someone I could relate to. Hyejoo is sweet, funny, and just a joy to be around. But, then there's me. I'm just a regular human with nothing really special about me. I just feel like she could have been bonded with somebody better. Even you said it: hybrids are always bonded with other hybrids. Maybe ours was a mistake...."

Jungeun nodded and hummed, understanding Chaewon's worries. 

"Can I tell you something? About Hyejoo?"

"Uh...sure?"

"Has Hyejoo ever told you about her ex-girlfriend?" Jungeun asked.

"She mentioned it once, but she never talked about her or anything...."

"Well, let me just say, it really took a toll on her. Hyejoo was never the same after they broke up. They got together when they were really young and inexperienced, but seemed to be alright in the beginning. However, the her ex just changed. She began to demand so much from Hyejoo, to the point where she became a slave for her. But, because Hyejoo was "in love", she never stood up to her. Until, Hyejoo had found out that she had been cheating on her the entire time. Apparently, her ex had "fell out of love" a long time ago and was just keeping Hyejoo around because she "felt bad". After this, Hyejoo was a wreck and did not trust people as easy. Add on top of that, her....family troubles....and it just made everything worse for her."

"Family troubles?"

"Yeah...her and her father never....got along. It's not my place to say anything, but her father was really abusive - physically and mentally. That's why I call her "my daughter" because I practically "adopted" her. She's been staying with us on and off for almost half a decade, until she permanently stayed with us over a year ago, so Jinsoul and I treat her like she's our child since her father clearly did not want to."

"What about her mom?"

"Murdered when Hyejoo was six. That's mostly the reason why her father is so grumpy and closed off, which is terrible excuse to treat your daughter that way."

"Oh..." Chaewon was lost for words, not knowing what else to say. She would have never knew that this had happened, but then again, it was none of her business anyway. Chaewon felt bad that the flame hybrid had went through this, almost wanting to cry when she heard it.

"Now, you're probably wondering *why* I'm telling you this." Jungeun continued. "Hyejoo is not someone who is picky about who she becomes close with. She just wants to know that you care, that you enjoy her company, that she does not feel like a burden to you. I think that's why she likes you so much. Besides you being adorable, I think she likes how compassionate you are for everyone. You seem to have a big heart, which is new for Hyejoo. She doesn't care if you're a hybrid or not, she cares about how you are on the inside."

"You think so?..." Chaewon asked, still unsure.

"Mhm, I know so. I've known her for almost half her life, I think I have an idea." Jungeun giggled, confident in her response.

"Okay...thank you, Jungeun." Chaewon said appreciatively. She still felt skeptical about it since everything between her and Hyejoo happened so fast, however she felt more confident having a better idea of who Hyejoo was.

"Anything else you want to get off your chest?" Jungeun asked.

"Well, there is one more thing....but it might just be nothing."

"Hm? What it is?" Jungeun hummed curiously.

"Well, I've been having strange dreams, ever since you guys got here. I told Hyejoo, since I couldn't get any sleep, and for a while they stopped. But they come back now and then and it's kinda scaring me. I didn't want Hyejoo to become concerned, so I just kept it from her."

"What are they about?"

"Well the first strange dream I had actually happened when I was younger. They always had this strange voice talking to me....but not in a scary way. It was always comforting and always seemed to give me advice about life. Then, when I turned ten, the stopped. Now, when you guess came, the voice came back but they gave me a warning. They were telling me not to "fight the sun"?...which was weird. Then, every night following that night, I had a nightmare and it felt...so real. Like once I was being burned alive and then another time I was tied to weights and was drowned. At that point, I could never sleep without Hyejoo comforting me. And for a while....they stopped. But now, the voice comes back and keeps warning me "the sun", but I don't understand what it means..."

"That....is odd." Jungeun admitted, understanding what Chaewon was saying. "But, "the sun" is actually a part of phrase that was often used when I was child. The elders would tell us this phrase to scare us into acting proper."

".....What did it say?" 

Chaewon opened her eyes and turned to Jungeun, who also had opened eyes and stared at her intently.

"It said: 

*Always be wary of the red sun.

For those who fear it will parish.

And for those who fight it will become corrupt.

We, the children of the red sun, must bow before it.

When the time is right, the red sun will rise and the world will fall to its knees.

Only those who are pure of heart will be able to escape.

Leaving those of sin to face their crimes.*"

"Wow...so..." Chaewon did not know what to say. "Is that what it means?"

"I don't know! It just reminded me of that phrase." Jungeun shrugged, unsure if she deciphered the message. "It could have just been some made up tale. But, if it is true, then that would the dream make some sense."

"But then....what does it have to do with me? And since you heard about it before, does that mean it has something to do with you guys? What if that's the reason it started when you got here? And, what if something bad is going to happen? And what if-"

Jungeun put a hand over Chaewon's mouth to silence her.

"You ask too many questions, you know that?"

Chaewon chuckled sheepishly into the fauna hybrid's hand, not noticing how talkative she had been.

"It's okay, I'm glad that you're so curious about figuring it out." Jungeun said with a giggle. "Honestly, maybe that is the explanation. And if it is then....I think that might is something we should be careful of in the future. Maybe it's a sign."

Chaewon said something into the hand, but it came out muffled.

"Oh sorry!" Jungeun speedily pulled her hand away.

"It's okay! I was just saying...why me? Like, why am I getting this message? What can I do about it?"

Jungeun was silent for a few seconds, pondering on how she would respond.

"Well, heck if I know!" Jungeun laughed, making Chaewon become surprised by her outburst.

"Wh- But-"

"Chaewon, I don't know everything. I'm just *help* people discover their answers, not *find* it for them. However, I *am* someone who is good at predictions, so I *will* say that..."

Jungeun stood up from off the floor and patted Chaewon on the top of her head. 

"...maybe you are more *special* than you think."

Jungeun winked at Chaewon before heading to her room, not looking back once as she opened and closed the door, leaving the blonde sitting alone.

Chaewon stood there, speechless, not comprehending what just occured. She did not know whether she should take the fauna hybrid seriously or not, or whether it was a joke or not, but something told Chaewon to keep it in mind.

Or maybe Jungeun was just teasing with her.

Either way, what she said still could be kept in the back of her mind.

***

As the days went by, everything seemed to be normal. Most of time was focused on the upcoming play, so nothing else was really in anyone's radar. Within the next two weeks, everyone except for Sooyoung (of course) helped with the play even a little bit, with Yerim helping with some of the missing props (because she just *couldn't* say no to Yeojin) and Jiwoo even stopped by at the school to help with costuming. 

Hyunjin had to bite her tongue just to not say anything about Yubin. Putting aside the threat, she did not want to raise any suspicion or bring Yuri into it. So Hyunjin just kept it to herself as she continued on the case. Oddly, there had not been much attacks within the last few weeks and Hyunjin had two theories for this: either (1) the death of one of their own had caused to go into mourning or (2) it was just the calm before the storm. There was no way to tell, especially with Yubin being so cryptic and no other leads coming up. She even talked to Yerin on what she found out from Han Dong, but nothing seemed to make sense.

Speaking of things not making sense - there was Heejin. Ever since that day she found her and Haseul outside, Heejin had been acting strange. One moment, she would act all clingy and affectionate, and the next she would pick a fight with her for the most random reasons. Hyunjin did not know why the hybrid was doing this, but honestly, she did not have the energy to care about too much. At the end of the day, they were both figuring each other out, so she just left it at her being "bad at feelings". Plus, it was not as important to her right now.

Since it was two days before the play, they had decided to take a day to just hang out and relax. With Chaewon and Hyunjin being given two weeks off from Christmas and New years, and Jiwoo having a break from work, they had a lot more time to spend with each other. Since Jiwoo recently bought a large apartment space for her and Sooyoung, so they all went there for a day before all the work they had to do for the following two days. They brought some take out food and drinks so they just unwind.

Also, it was perfect time for Chaewon and Jiwoo to go into the first phase of their plan.

"So, what do you guys think?"

"So, wait, you want us to go out of the city to stay in a house together for the holidays?" Hyunjin asked for clarification.

"Yeah, only until after New year's." Jiwoo cleared up. "It would be all twelve of us, staying with each other for the holidays, you know, having fun! We can go shopping, and give each other gifts, and just get to know each other better! And then we can stay up until midnight New Year's Eve before heading home!"

"That sounds like fun!!" Yeojin exclaimed, looking up from her Christmas movie that she was watching. "I want to go!"

"It would be a wonderful bonding experience." Kahei added, who was sitting next to Yeojin, and was on board with the idea. "I would love to go!"

"I mean, it sounds fun, but is it really okay for us to leave the city in the middle of this issue?" Jinsoul asked, skeptical on the trip. "What if we miss something?"

"Oh come on, baby!" Jungeun pouted, sitting on the floor with Yeojin in her lap. "We've been following this case for over a month and there wasn't been any new information for a few weeks! I'm pretty sure a week won't hurt!"

"Yeah! Besides, I want to get to know you guys! You all seem fun!" Yeojin agreed with a giggle.

"I mean, I guess..." Jinsoul sighed, and turning to Hyunjin, who was sitting at island in the kitchen with Heejin, eating. "Hyunjin, what do you think?"

"Uh..." Hyunjin thought about it, before responding: "I mean, like Jungeun said, it's only a week so I think it would be okay."

It was true that there had been no major leads within last few weeks (besides that one *situation*), but that she had to look into on her own. Besides, Hyunjin needed the time off.

"Alright, then I'll go." Jinsoul decided. "What about everyone else?"

"If Yeojin is going, then I'm going!" Yerim chimed in, before quickly adding: "You know, just to keep her company!"

Jiwoo and Chaewon rolled their eyes and smirked.

*'Sure'*

"If you all are going, I guess that means I should as well." Haseul joined in, quietly speaking from the seat next to the couch. 

"AND I guess I should too, you know, just so Hyunjin doesn't get bored or anything..." Heejin said, clinging onto Hyunjin's arm teasingly.

"Is that really the reason?" Hyunjin questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

"Sure, I mean your life was boring before you met me, so yeah I think that's a valid reason." Heejin justified, making Hyunjin sigh.

*'Well, she is certainly not wrong...'*

"I think we would all be cool with going." Hyejoo said from behind Chaewon, eating in the kitchen, across from Hyunjin and Heejin. "I think we all need it. Great idea, Chaewon."

"Oh, well, you know..." Chaewon stuttered, blushing at the compliment. "Just wanted to do something for everyone!"

Hyejoo was amused by the blonde's reaction, smiling at her brightly.

"Are you sure all of us will be able to fit?" Kahei asked. "I mean, we are a lot of people..."

"Don't worry about it!" Jiwoo said, dismissing her worry. "I rented a huge place for us to stay in, with plenty of space! Besides, I'm sure some of us wouldn't mind rooming together!"

Considering that everyone here seemed to be close with at least one person, it did not seem far fetch to believe that two or three people could stay in a bedroom together.

"And..what about Sooyoung?" Jinsoul asked, hesitant.

"Oh, well, yes! She's coming with us too!" Jiwoo replied, trying to play it cool. "I hope you all don't mind since I want us all to get along!"

"We'll see." Jinsoul stated coldly, seemingly bothered by the reply. 

Chaewon turned to look at Hyejoo, who looked like she had something on her mind, eyes wandering and lips pursed.

"You okay?" 

"Hm?" Hyejoo looked up at Chaewon, snapping out of her thoughts. "Yeah, yeah, I'm cool..."

"Are you okay with..."

"I mean, sure. If she's coming then, so be it."

Hyejoo seemed to be holding back her true thoughts on the situation, but Chaewon did not want to pry.

Suddenly, seemingly on cue, the front door made a *click* noise and opened, with Sooyoung being on the other side. She stepped inside but paused when noticed eleven pairs of eyes staring at her, some more alert than others.

"Um, hey?" Sooyoung said, confused. "What's going on here?"

"Oh, nothing much! Just hanging out with some friends. I'm sure you recognize some of them!" Jiwoo replied, still trying not sound cheerful.

Sooyoung looked around at everyone. There were some people who she had never seen before, but then her eyes landed on those who she did recognize. First, she saw Jinsoul practically glaring at her and Jungeun just frowned at her. Then her eyes met Kahei's and blew wide. She did not even notice anyone else, just staring for a few seconds before forcing herself to look away.

"Right." Sooyoung simply said. "Well, I'll just leave you guys to it."

Without another word, Sooyoung walked past everyone and headed to her bedroom, closing the door forcefully behind her.

"Well...that was weird." Yerim commented. "Jiwoo, you have a strange girlfriend!"

Jiwoo chuckled awkwardly.

"Yeah, you could say that..."

Chaewon saw Hyejoo mutter something under her breath, looking hurt. She wanted to ask her about it, but clearly this was not the time.

"Anyways, I guess it's settled!" Jiwoo said, trying to change the subject. "All of us will be going to living together for the holidays!"

Most of them cheered along with Jiwoo, but the vibe in the room was bittersweet. Chaewon was beginning to worry if her plan would be a success or whether it would backfire badly. However, it was too late now and all Chaewon could do was be hopeful.

For the rest of the time, the mostly continued what they were originally doing, enjoying each other's company. They eventually sat in the living room together to watch a Christmas movie together. The hybrids of the group was mostly confused and questioning everything, since they were not familiar with the holiday, but they enjoyed it nonetheless.

They were so immersed in the movie that they did not notice Sooyoung slipping out of her bedroom and heading towards the kitchen. Although, Kahei did see her at the corner of her eye, and turned around to see Sooyoung getting some food. Without a second thought, Kahei subtly slipped away from the living room and walked into the kitchen.

"Hey."

Sooyoung looked up from the fridge and saw Kahei warily walking up to her.

"I just wanted to talk." Kahei said, standing a couple feet away.

"Um, hey...." Sooyoung replied, closing the fridge and stepping back. "What is it?"

"Well, I remember when I was hurt a while ago that your friends said that you were the one who found me and seemed to be concerned about how I was." Kahei began. "So, I wanted to say thank you. I probably would have been dead without you. And, even though I don't know you, I just wanted to meet you personally and show my gratitude."

"Oh...no problem?" Sooyoung avoided eye contact. "It's not a big deal."

"I would say that saving my life is more than just "a big deal"." Kahei chuckled. "You shouldn't undermine what you did."

"It's fine... I'm just glad you're safe." 

Sooyoung thought the conversation was over, so she turned around to walk away to avoid anymore chatting between them. She would have walked off if it was not for Kahei calling her attention again.

"Wait, uh, one more thing." Kahei called out, making Sooyoung stop in her tracks. "I just wanted to know....How did you know me?"

Sooyoung looked around the room, trying to avoid meeting Kahei's eyes, and mumbled nervously.

"It's...complicated." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Listen, I need you to just forget I exist, okay?" Sooyoung demanded, sounding both hurt and frustrated. "We weren't supposed to meet again, this was all a mistake. I'm not the good person you think I am and I'm only going to bring you worse luck. We should just stay far away each other. Please, don't talk to me again."

And with Kahei left their stunned, Sooyoung walked off back to her bedroom and shut the door. 

Kahei did not know what to say, caught by surprise because of Sooyoung's words. Even though she sounded like she was upset by something, but Kahei did not know of what. She wanted to learn what Sooyoung meant, but clearly the hybrid was afraid so she did not try to go after her.

***

With the time off, Hyejoo and Chaewon decided to go on another date. This time, they went out for a walk with Nari and Bbomi at the park, and just talked the day away. 

While they were walking and talking, her eyes slipped to Hyejoo's bare hands, where several tattoos were drawn. Chaewon noticed them before whenever Hyejoo wore short sleeves that tattoos extended all the way up her arm and seemed to have been drawn with great care and details. With how much they were, Chaewon could not help but become more intrigued by them.

"Hyejoo, I was just wondering..." Chaewon began, eyes remaining its gaze on Hyejoo's hands. "I noticed that you have a lot of tattoos."

"Oh, yeah I do." Hyejoo agreed, smiling at the ones on her hand and starting to reminisce on memories. "I got my first one when I was thirteen, which was right here:"

Hyejoo stopped walking and pulled back the sleeve of her jacket, pointing a tattoo in the middle of her forearm, which had the name *Mi-Sun* written in bold letters surrounded by floral designs.

"It's a tattoo of my mother's name." Hyejoo started to explain. "She was murdered when I was six. We were extremely close and she always tried to keep me safe at any cost. Even though I was too young to understand it, she always remained my favorite person I ever knew. So, when I was old enough, I went to get a tattoo of her name. The flowers represent my mother's favorite place, which was a valley filled with tons of colorful flowers. She would take me there all the time, where we would just bond and take a break from reality."

"That is so sweet..." Chaewon was touched by the meaning behind the tattoo. Hyejoo's mother seemed like a charitable person, and had a huge effect on Hyejoo's life. Chaewon felt bad that her mother was gone too soon, especially when she was so loving towards her daughter - a huge contrast from Hyejoo's father.

"You must miss her..."

"Yeah, I do." Hyejoo said emotionally, sniffling softly. "But, I know she's in a better place, and that makes me content. My mother deserved a better life instead of what she got. I just only wished it wasn't when I was that young since I felt lost without her."

"Did it have something to do with your father?" 

Hyejoo's eyes blew wide. "How did you-"

"Jungeun told me a while ago." Chaewon cleared up her confusion. " She didn't go into detail or anything...It's okay if you don't want to talk about but...I feel terrible for you."

"Of course she did..." Hyejoo mumbled. "But, don't feel bad. It was nobody's doing but my father's. Even before my mother died, he was an abusive man. He would beat up and blame her for any mistake she did. My mother would always try to protect me from it, which led her getting hurt more. Eventually, when she was murdered, he never felt bad in the slightest. He pretended to grieve around family members, but, in reality, he did not give a shit. My father did not even try to figure out who murdered her. Not long after, he directed his wrath onto a six year old me. I was weak and vulnerable, and he used that to his advantage. Whenever he was mad or frustrated, he used me as his personal punching bag, beating me until I bled. It got worse once I turned fourteen. At that point, I found out that I was a lesbian. I tried to keep it a secret, while also having a secret girlfriend, but he found out about us and it only made the beating worse. Soon, he would also verbally assault me, degrading me while he would hurt me. By that point, I was old enough and strong enough to fight back, but he was way stronger than I was. And then..."

Chaewon saw a few tears fall down from the hybrid's eyes and onto her jacket. Hyejoo wiped away her tears and forced herself to continue.

"We had our final fight. A lot of things were said, and I was left burnt and bruised on the forest floor. Jungeun found me, and I finally left to live with her and Jinsoul. I've known them for years, but this time I was going to leave my home for good. I'm forever grateful for all the people that helped me - Jungeun, Jinsoul, Heejin....even Sooyoung. They help build me up from how broken I used to be. Even a year ago, I had no self-confidence and would often fault myself. But now, I am in a much better place. And then, I met you..."

Chaewon's face contorted from sympathetic to bewilderment.

"Wh-What?" Chaewon stuttered, confused by what she meant.

"I don't know how to explain it but... you make me feel so much more happier than I've ever been." Hyejoo admitted. "Whenever I'm around you, I feel something I've never felt before. I can't describe it....it just felt like something in my life finally made sense. I'm being stupidly cheesy, but I just can't stress how much being with you makes me feel..."

"I..." Chaewon did not expect Hyejoo to speak so openly. She was awestruck by the sincerity of the words that were spoken, especially since it was about her. No one had ever spoken about Chaewon that way, not even her long term friends. 

"I...don't know what to say...." Chaewon said, still stunned. "I do feel the same way about you too... I just don't know how to express it. I've never *liked* liked someone before, but i think I feel something special towards you. I don't know if it's the whole "soulmate thing" talking, but i don't think it is. You enjoy being around you and you make my days less boring and more blissful. I guess what I'm saying is that...I'm glad that I met you."

Hyejoo and Chaewon looked at each other with heart eyes and smiled uncontrollably. They were about to lean in for a kiss, since it was the perfect situation for it. But just when the mood was right, they were interrupted by:

*"Meow!!"*

Hyejoo and Chaewon were startled enough to pull back, alarmed by how loud Nari meowed. The cat began to frantically pull at her leash, trying to run somewhere as her meowing got louder and more frequent. The cat began to pull Chaewon along by the leash, with Hyejoo following close behind, chuckling at this.

"Hey! Hold on a sec!" Chaewon tried to call out, but Nari was not letting up.

It was not until they got up to an older woman, who was sitting on the bench, that the she finally stopped but continued meowing energetically. Nari got up against the lady's leg, which got the said lady's attention as she looked down at the animal.

"Oh my god, Nari, what are you doing?" Chaewon quickly picked up the cat to keep her from bothering the older lady. She then looked at the woman apologetically. 

"I am so sorry! I don't know what got into her!"

"Oh, it's alright sweetheart." The lady reassured, grinning softly. "No harm done."

The lady looked like she probably in her late twenties, maybe around Kahei's age. She had light bubblegum pink hair and soft gentle looking face. Although, despite how eye-catching her appearance looked, her clothes were very simple, with a long off-white dress.

Nari, despite being picked, was still being noisy while trying to reach for the lady.

"Well, isn't she a cutie!" The lady said, reaching up to pet the cat. "And beautiful too. What is her name?"

"Nari." Chaewon replied, watching as the cat began to calm down as the lady kept petting her. "She's still young, so I'm pretty sure that's why she's so excited!"

"Well, you are very luck to have her."

The lady's eyes flicked up to Chaewon's face and stared at her for a while, analyzing her face. She then turned to Hyejoo and did the same. Once she was done, she smiled at them delicately.

"Have I seen you two before?" The lady asked.

"Oh, I'm not sure if we've met..." Chaewon said unsurely. "Do you recognize us?"

"Maybe, it depends. What are your names?"

"Oh well, I'm Chaewon and this is Hyejoo" Chaewon pointed to each of the respective to their names.

The lady mouthed their names and then her smile grew wider.

"Ah, quite familiar names." The lady sounded satisfied. "So, based on the fact you two were about to kiss, I assume you two are dating?"

"Oh, uh, yes ma'am." Chaewon blushed, embarrassed that she had noticed. Then again, they were in a public park.

"Good, good. I'm glad your relationship is going well."

Chaewon and Hyejoo were puzzled by the way the lady had spoke. It sounded like she already knew prior to this, and that she was anticipating something more. 

"Anywho, I should be heading back home about now." The lady stated, standing up from the bench. "Stay safe you two. Things aren't like they seem these days. Look after each other and..."

The lady leaned in between Chaewon and Hyejoo and pointed towards the sky. 

"You see that sun?" 

Chaewon and Hyejoo, still bewildered, nodded, not knowing where she was going with it.

"Make sure to watch her. She's a very feisty one!" The lady whispered. "If you are not careful, when you turn your back, the sun might switch up on you...."

"Wait, what do you-"

Before Chaewon could finish her question, she looked to see that the lady was gone. Chaewon and Hyejoo looked around and could not find her anywhere. 

"Where did she go?..." Chaewon asked, freaked out.

"I don't know..." Hyejoo replied, as confused. "She was really weird."

"Yeah..."

The lady was strange, however Chaewon was more concerned about what she warned to them.

Why was it always about the sun?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 9! A lot of updates, so let's recap! We have the direct continuation of the previous chapter, with Haseul and Yuri! Their relationship is like a "older sister to younger sister" dynamic, which will only get cuter from here! We also had the comeback if Yubin, Yuri's actual sister, and was low key there to scare Hyunjin a little bit. She will be back again, don't worry ;). Also, a small jealous Heejin for a quick set up for later, you will see. There was also more Hyewon scenes in this chapter, as they discovered something new about themselves as their bond gets stronger. Honestly, I love writing Hyejoo and Chaewon as soulmates, since it's so pure! But, Chaewon does worry about their relationship since she's never been in one before. Keep in mind, Chaewon was practically thrown in a relationship out of nowhere, even though she enjoys it, so doubt is there. Jungeun also told us information about Hyejoo, as well as some possible meaning to "the sun" (because Jungeun lowkey knows everything). Then we finally know a bit of Chaewon's plan, which involves OT12 finally being together as one! But Sooyoung is being secretive and avoiding everyone (like she always does). But, at least you all have a clue about what happened between Kahei and Sooyoung. Then, we had Hyejoo open up about her past to Chaewon, which let's you all get to know her a bit more! Hyejoo seems tough most of the time, but she's just a broken girl underneath, and it took her a long time to get that confidence to act that strong. And then, we have the introduction of the mysterious lady...  
> Who do you think it is?  
> Find out next chapter!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	10. 𝒊 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what else to do.  
> Things have changed so fast -  
> Too fast for me to ready properly  
> But, since you're here  
> 𝒊 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

The day of the play was hectic for everybody. Everyone was at the school early in the morning to run through the play a few more times and work any final issues. After seeing the overall product, Yeojin and Kahei were very satisfied and confident that this will go well. They were also extremely grateful that they had so much help, a lot more than previous years. Even with all the craziness that has been taking place lately, at least they could do something normal not have anything go wrong.

At about noon, all of the children and adults (which included everyone except for Yerim, Jiwoo and Sooyoung) went on the bus to go to the senior citizens home. It was about a forty five minute drive and the play began at two o'clock so they had to get going. Yerim and Jiwoo promised they would be there before the play starts, saying that they had some "business" to take care of. They did not know if Sooyoung would come with Jiwoo, but at this point, no one kept there hopes up. However, Jiwoo did say that Sooyoung would go with them on the trip, despite her attitude of two days ago. It seemed like they would just have to wait to see what happens.

By the time they made it the retirement home, they had more than a hour to get ready so they made sure to set everything up and do one last run through of the play. 

"I think everything is going to go great, don't you think?" Yeojin said, as they finish their last rehearsal.

"Yeah, I think it will go smoothly!" Kahei agreed. "I'm just ready to get this over with. This past month has been stressful."

"I'd say! I can't wait to go on the trip with all of our new friends!" Yeojin said cheerfully. "They all are so fun! This is will be our biggest Christmas party yet!"

"Yeah..."

Hearing this, Kahei was brought back to the events of two days ago. Sooyoung has said that she did not want them to get along. Kahei wished she knew why Sooyoung felt this way and why she was upset, but there was no way she would know without talking to Sooyoung, which the hybrid clearly did not want her to do. But Kahei wanted to put it behind her for the time being, since she had more important things to worry about. 

"Hey, Kahei?"

"Huh?" Kahei was brought out of her thoughts by Chaewon calling her. "Oh, do you need anything?"

"Oh, yes!" Chaewon replied, walking up to Kahei. "I wanted to know if you needed anything! Because, Hyejoo and I wanted to go get a bite to eat at the stand at the front before the show starts!"

"Oh, I mean, I think everything is good! It's just a waiting game at this point." Kahei said. "You can go!"

"Alright, thank you!" 

As she watched Chaewon walk off, it made Kahei realized how much her life has changed within the last month. She almost died, got a roommate, made friends with five hybrids, and got way more help on her play than she could have ever predicted in the course of a month. It felt so surreal, but she did not regret in the slightest. Sure, she was almost killed, but everything that followed it only made her life better than it ever was.

***

"I guess you're really enjoying this food, huh?"

"Mhm!" Hyejoo said, mouth stuffed with her third cupcake that day.

Chaewon giggled as she took her hand to the corner of Hyejoo's mouth to wipe away the crumbs from the cupcake. 

"Thanks!" Hyejoo finished her cupcake and was grinning from ear to ear. "I never knew human food was so good!"

"You've never had a cupcake before?" Chaewon asked, surprised.

"I have, but ours don't even compare to yours!" 

Chaewon laughed at how adorable the hybrid was being. Sometimes, Hyejoo truly acted like a baby, differing from her usual tough persona. 

Hyejoo took a sugar cookie off of her plate and put it up to Chaewon's mouth to feed her. Chaewon happily took a bite out of it, humming in satisfaction. They both were so deep in their little world, that they did not notice someone familiar walk up to them.

"My, fancy meeting you here!"

Chaewon and Hyejoo turned around and jumped when they saw the mysterious lady from yesterday standing behind them. 

"Oh my god!" Hyejoo exclaimed, caught off guard. "How do you do that?!"

"Hm? What do you mean?" The lady asked, acting dumb. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"But- what are you doing here?" 

"Oh, I work here, sweetheart!" The lady responded. "I'm a volunteer for this place. And, when I heard there would be a play, I certainly could not miss out!"

"Oh, yeah, that's why we're here!" Chaewon added in. "Our friends are the ones who are running it! We're just here as support."

"Well aren't you two such a good friends!"

"Yeah, so...about yesterday..." Chaewon questioned, bringing up the events from their last meeting. "What did you mean about the sun?"

"Hm? So you were listening?" The lady said, not all that surprised. "Good."

"But, what did that mean? It was so confusing..."

The lady looked at them both, looked around the room almost teasingly, before returning her gaze towards them, giggling.

"Honey, you two have to figure it out. I can't tell you everything!" The lady said playfully. "Besides, you two aren't far off from finding the first clue!"

"The first clue?" Hyejoo asked, lifting an eyebrow. "There are more?"

"Of course! It's your journey after all!"

"What does that even mean? What journey?"

"Well, then let me put it this way!" The lady started to say. "In 9 days, there will be the start of a new year. That morning will be the first year's sunrise. The sun will be brand new and brings more surprises with her. It will begin to transform, and anyone tied to it will transform with it. You cannot stop it, you will have to adapt. Once you do, you will learn what I mean."

"What?..." Chaewon said, even more confused than before. "What is going to-"

"Sorry! I must be going!" The lady began to walk away, but not before Hyejoo tried to call out to her.

"Wait!" Hyejoo called out. "Can we at least know who you are?"

The lady stopped walking away and stood in place.

"I am someone that you are not ready to know of. Your mind is not in right place yet. But, in case you need me..."

The lady turned around and winked.

"Call me Sana!"

***

An hour later, it was almost time for the play to start. The residents of the retirement home were sat in their seats, which was about sixty people, all of them being the age of sixty-five and above. There were also a few staff and family members of the elderly that were seated as well, bringing the count to almost a hundred. 

They still had ten minutes until the play was supposed to start, but Haseul was beginning to get stage fright. She had never done anything like this before, and even if her friends praised her, the fear of screwing everything up still lingered in her mind. 

"Hey, Haseul! You okay?" 

Haseul looked away from the stage and turned to Jungeun, who was looking at her with concern.

"Oh, yes, I believe so..." 

"You don't have anything to worry about! You'll do amazing!" Jungeun said, "Besides, I'm in the play too, so we'll do it together."

"But, you come in towards the end, while I am after Yuri, who is very talented. I do not match that level of skill." Haseul protested, feeling hopeless.

"You don't give yourself enough credit. You may be new to this, but you still have tons of natural skill as well. The fact that you are able to this when you've only had a month to prepare is astounding." Jungeun said to compliment her. "Besides, these people aren't here for a groundbreaking performance, they're here to enjoy themselves and celebrate their holiday. As long as you have fun, they will have fun too!"

Haseul was stunned by the sincerity of Jungeun's words. She certainly had a way of motivating people, no matter how much fear the person had. Maybe that is why Jungeun was her closest hybird friend, with how sympathetic she could be.

"Thank you, Jungeun..." Haseul started to smile. "Your words have inspired me."

"Well, what can I say? It's a talent!"

"Haseul!!" 

Yuri came running up to them, looking uneasy.

"It's about to start!!" The little girl announced. "And I'm so nervous!!"

"What are you nervous for?" Haseul questioned. "You have worked so hard and have such amazing talent. You are the smartest little girl I know. You have inspired me greatly as well, way more than I could have expected. Stay confident in yourself."

"I...inspired you?"

Haseul nodded, making the little girl light up.

"Yay!" 

Yuri through herself onto Haseul, hugging around Haseul's waist. Haseul just stood there, unable how to process this sign of affection. Of course, they did have to hug in the last scene of the play, but Haseul just took as acting and chose to just ignore it. But this was just unscripted, a hug that was completely out of nowhere, so it caught the hybrid off guard. She did not know whether to pull her away, or just stand there awkwardly and take it. Jungeun looked at the scene, unsure if she had to intervene or not. 

"Thank you, Haseul!!" Yuri exclaimed excitedly, pulling away and looking up at Haseul with twinkling eyes. "You're the best person I've ever met!"

"Same to you..." 

"Well, there is five more minutes!" Jungeun butted in. "We better get in our places!"

"Okay, let's go!!" 

Yuri began to run off, motioning Jungeun and Haseul to follow her. 

"Hey,"

Jungeun stopped Haseul before she walked away. Haseul looked at her, curious to what she was about to say.

"I just wanted to say that I'm proud of you." Jungeun smiled softly. "You have grown so much within this past month than you've had in years. I know it will take a while, and I don't expect you get better so soon, but I see you smiling so much more and I'm happy for you."

Haseul looked at Jungeun for a few seconds, appreciative at what she just said. She did not even notice that she was smiling more, since has been so long. But, it made sense because things have changed and Haseul has become closer with people she never knew she would ever be close with.

"It is all thanks to you all."

***

To the surprise of no one, the play went perfectly. Like Jungeun said, the audience were here to have a good time, and based on the smiles written on their faces, it was safe to say that it was accomplished. Some people were even in tears by the end of it. Haseul and Yuri went through the play swimmingly and without any hiccups, which eased their worries. Everyone was smiling and laughing when all other kids roles came up, some of them humourous, others were more heartwarming. Even though Jinsoul and Jungeun had no experience in acting either, they played off the parent role in the final scene well. But then again, maybe the fact they were married and practically took care of Hyejoo for years helped with that.

Hyejoo, Chaewon, Heejin and Hyunjin sat in the audience towards the back, watching everything. Besides the teasing questions from Heejin, they sat there quietly and smiled with the audience, proud of their friends.

Fifteen minutes after the play started, Yerim and Jiwoo finally made it and sat in the two empty seats next to Chaewon. Chaewon looked beside them, hopeful to see if Sooyoung was with them, but was disappointed when she was not.

"Jiwoo, where is Sooyoung?" Chaewon whispered to Jiwoo, concerned why she was not here.

"Honestly, I don't even know." Jiwoo confessed with a sigh. "After you all left, she was being really quiet and avoiding me...well, more than usual. I haven't seen here this morning since she left before I woke up. I hope she's okay..."

"Do you think she'll come with us on the trip?"

"I'm not sure, she never confirmed nor denied it. I hope she'll still come though..."

"Me too. Otherwise, our plan is ruined..." 

If Sooyoung did not come with them, then this whole trip will just go to waste. 

When they play finished, there was a small congratulations reception. After a few of the elderly told them how well they did and some praises from their families, it was safe to say that the whole event was a success.

They quickly headed back to the bus afterwards for mini Christmas party at the school just for the children, which had a lot of food and drinks. The kids were joyful, and everyone was content that a month's work paid off. 

"So, we're going home to get our stuff after this right?" Hyejoo asked, standing in the back of her classroom with her friends while drinking fruit punch.

"Yes, we're about to leave here at four thirty, which is in fifteen minutes!" Chaewon replied, checking the clock on her phone.

"Finally, I don't think I can take more of these kids screaming into my ear." Heejin groaned, annoyed by how noisy the children were. "I don't know how anyone could deal them."

"Kids aren't that bad! They're super cute!" Jungeun disagreed, watching the children with heart eyes. "I wouldn't mind taking care of kids!"

Jungeun looked at Jinsoul and raised her eyebrows repeatedly, trying to hint at something obvious.

"Don't even think about it." Jinsoul simply said, not paying her any mind.

"Fine..." Jungeun pouted, disappointed.

"If you two have kids, don't even think about asking me to babysit." Heejin said bluntly.

"Don't worry, you'd probably try to murder them if we let you." Jinsoul said with narrow eyes.

"I could totally see that." Hyunjin laughed, finding humor in how accurate it was.

"Because I would. Do you know how many times I almost killed Hyejoo out of frustration?" Heejin chuckled back.

"Firstly, when are you going to learn that I'm only A YEAR younger than you?" Hyejoo protested. "Also- you what??"

"When you stop acting like a baby. Also- nothing..." Heejin looked to the side and sipped her drink suspiciously.

"Hey, has anyone seen Haseul?" Kahei asked, walking up to the group. "I haven't seen her since we got off the bus."

"Last time I saw her, she said she was going to the restroom." Yerim commented. "But that was over twenty minutes ago."

"That must be a long time at the restroom..." 

"We should probably go look for her because we have to get going!" Jiwoo suggested, minding the time.

"I'll go." Hyunjin said, getting up off the chair and heading towards the door.

"I should probably go too!" Heejin added, acting suspicious as she followed Hyunjin. "You know, in case we need more people to find her!"

Hyunjin rolled her eyes, but did not want to cause a scene or raise more suspicion, so she let Heejin join her. Besides, Hyunjin already knew the real reason why she was coming with her.

"You know, those two are weird..." Hyejoo commented, raising an eyebrow at Heejin's behavior.

"Do they like each other?" Kahei asked.

"No, trust me, Heejin isn't interested in anyone." Jinsoul replied, not believing that it was a possibility. "She may be flirty, but Heejin hates the idea of being in a relationship. The day she gets a girlfriend will be unbelievable."

"Yeah, and Hyunjin is pretty hesitant when it comes to love!" Yeojin added in. "She's never been in a relationship before, anyway. Hyunjinie is the type of person to keep to herself!"

"Those two are strange to begin with anyway." Hyejoo joked, with everyone making noises of agreement.

"I think we call agree those two would NEVER be in a relationship."

***

"I know you want us to be an relationship, but you are terrible at hiding how possessive you are."

"I'm not possessive." Heejin disagreed, crossing her arms as the two of them walked down the hallway. "I just don't want you being alone with her."

"Heejin, that's literally the dictionary example of being possessive." Hyunjin deadpanned. "Listen, I don't know why you're acting like this, but you need to stop. I don't like Haseul like that anymore, we're just friends."

"You sure don't seem like just friends when you look at her like that..." Heejin mumbled, too quiet for Hyunjin to comprehend.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Hyunjin watched the anger in Heejin's face and felt a little guilty. Even though her and Haseul were just friends, to Heejin it might seem like otherwise. Besides, they have not been affectionate in over a week, while her and Haseul were still hanging out on the side. If they wanted to work on being together officially, they had to start trusting each other more. Maybe if spent more genuine time together, there could be more trust.

"You know how we're going on that trip for over a week?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Well, maybe one of those days we could go out together." Hyunjin suggested. "You know, just you and me."

"Wait, you're serious?" Heejin gazed at her in disbelief. "You want to...go on a date?"

"I mean, sure, I guess. I just want to spend time with you."

"Uh..." Heejin paused, still not believing what Hyunjin was asking her. "Sure if you want to."

"I mean, I was the one who asked, wasn't I?" 

Both of them laughed breathlessly and smiled, which was the first time they did since they left the classroom. These days, most of their fights, big or small, end mostly in them laughing about it. Sometimes they joked with how stupid or meaningless it was.

"Do you think Haseul is outside?" Heejin asked, after they could not find Haseul in the restroom. 

"Possibly, I think Haseul might have left the party on purpose." Hyunjin theorized. "Let's head outside to look."

Heejin nodded and the two of them heading to the school front door to go outside. When the exited, they were immediately stunned to see that everywhere was covered in white. Snow was raining from above and littering the buildings and streets. It must have been snowing for a while since their first step ended up having their feet being mostly immersed into it. They silently wished they had worn their jackets, since it was almost freezing and they only had casual hoodies on.

Surprisingly, their prediction was correct, as they turned to their left and saw Haseul standing there, leaning against the school building. She looked like she was admiring the scenery with a peaceful expression on her face. 

"Haseul?" Hyunjin called out, making the frost hybrid jump a little from not expecting them.

"Oh, hello." Haseul greeted, relieved that it was them. "Heejin, Hyunjin, where you looking for me?"

"I mean, duh, you left out of nowhere!" Heejin exclaimed, stating the obvious. 

"We were worried about you." Hyunjin said with concern.

"No need to worry, I am fine." Haseul reassured. "I just felt uncomfortable being surrounded by so many people in a small space, so I want to take a breather."

"We figured..."

"But then it snowed and reminded me of home." Haseul continued, eyes gazing back to the snowy scenery. "I felt calmer and more tranquil, so I stayed here longer than I intended. I guess I lost track of time."

"It's okay, as long as you're safe." Hyunjin sighed in relief. 

Haseul turned back towards the all the snow, and her expression looked more relaxed. 

"Anyways, let's head inside. It's freezing out here!" Heejin said, shivering in place.

"Give me a few more minutes."

"Fine, but we're going inside." 

Heejin grabbed Hyunjin's hand to drag her back inside, but Hyunjin shrugged her off. 

"Hold up." Hyunjin told to Heejin before she turned to Haseul. "Haseul, you're feeling alright....right?"

Haseul nodded. "Yes."

For some reason, Hyunjin just did not believe her. Haseul had always been distant and secretive, but something in her voice sounded like she was hiding something. 

It just sounded....off.

"You should not worry about me." Haseul stated, still looking forward and away from them. "There is nothing to fear about."

"But-"

"So here's where you guys went!" 

Yeojin, as well as every one of their friends minus Kahei, came out of the school building, relieved to have found them.

"You guys were gone for a while!" 

"Yeah, well, we couldn't find Haseul at first since apparently she was out here." Heejin replied, side eyeing Haseul.

"Haseul, are you okay?" Jinsoul asked, troubled by Haseul being outside.

"Yes, just fine. I just came out here because I felt cluttered at the party." Haseul answered, still not making eye contact with them.

But somehow, Hyunjin was the only person who seemed to catch on to the peculiar behavior, because the others just nodded and believed her without a second thought.

"So, in other news, let's all head home so we can finally get ready for the trip!" Chaewon announced, everyone instantly became excited.

"Alright, everyone listen to the plan!" Jiwoo began, getting everyone's attention. "So, all of us should head home and make sure they have everything they need. We'll pick everyone one by one in two vans that I rented for the trip and head there. The trip is about three hours long, so we should hurry before it gets too dark. We'll decide everything else when we get there!"

"Sounds like a plan!" Jungeun commented. 

"Wait, what about Kahei?" Hyunjin asked. 

"She's just waiting for the kids to be picked up! She'll be leaving soon!" Yeojin clarified, clearing up why Kahei was absent. "So Haseul, you might have to wait a bit!"

"Understood." Haseul responded, keeping a straight face.

"Great!" 

"Let's all hurry home then." Chaewon declares, all of them ready to go their separate ways. 

They all said farewell and heading in different directions depending on where they lived, leaving Heejin, Hyunjin, and Haseul by themselves.

"We should go too." Heejin said to Hyunjin, with a slightly demanding tone.

Hyunjin looked back at Haseul, who was still looking away from them. Her face was unreadable, and seemed to exude no emotions. Hyunjin wanted to keep pestering her until she would say what was going on with her. But, at this point, Hyunjin felt like she would not get anywhere with how cryptic the frost hybrid was.

"Fine." Hyunjin sighed, while starting to follow Heejin. "We have to hurry anyway."

Hyunjin looked back one last time, trying to see if Haseul had a reaction, but Haseul just seemed to disregard her and kept her emotionless face.

As Heejin and Hyunjin had walked far enough away, Haseul let out a sigh, as if she was holding a lot of weight for a long time. She looked back and forth, trying to look for someone but became relieved when they were not there. Haseul turned to walk into the school with haste, not looking back for even a second.

***

"Are you sure Nari and Bbomi will be okay?"

Chaewon set her suitcase in front of the door, and turned to Hyejoo with a chuckle.

"I already told you that they'll be fine!" Chaewon replied. "They're going to be watched by Yuna, so there's no need to worry. They'll be safe, I promise."

Hyejoo sighed, but nodded in understanding. Chaewon found it adorable that Hyejoo seemed to care about her pets more than herself, even to the point that the hybrid was worried about leaving them alone for too long.

"You have everything you need, right?" Chaewon asked, watching as Hyejoo zipped up her own suitcase. 

"Yeah, I do!" Hyejoo confirmed. "I didn't have much stuff to begin with, anyway."

"Oh yeah, that's true!"

As Chaewon and Hyejoo did one last check to see if they had everything, Jinsoul and Jungeun headed out of their bedroom with their own suitcases in hand. 

"And I'm ready!" Jungeun announced, bright smile on her face. "Let's go!"

"You seem super excited." Chaewon noticed, grinning at the fauna hybrid's enthusiasm.

"Of course, but mostly because Jiwoo promised we would get to go shopping at a mall in the area tomorrow!" Jungeun explained, getting even more excited by the thought. 

"I'm just ready to get there and sleep." Jinsoul said bluntly, tiredly carrying her suitcase behind Jungeun.

"Same." Hyejoo agreed. "I need a nap honestly."

Right after this was said, Chaewon's phone started to ring, prompting her to pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

*"Chaewon, she's coming with us!"* Jiwoo said excitedly on the other side of the phone line.

"Really??" Chaewon shouted, making the hybrid look at her in puzzlement. 

*"Yeah, she came to me and said that she wanted to. She even packed her stuff while we were at the play!"*

"That's great!"

It looks as though their plan would work out after all.

Well... hopefully. This was only the second step.

*"Also, we're here! She's going to be riding with us!"*

Now that could either be taken as good news or bad news. It is good because then maybe they could finally talk things out in the van, or at least begin to. However, this could also backfire and ruin the trip in its entirety.

"Okay, that's fine! We're heading outside now!" 

Chaewon hanged up the phone, and placed it in her pocket as she began to open the door.

"What was that about?" Hyejoo asked, still confused by her outburst.

"Oh well... you'll see..."

***

"Chaewon, you aren't serious."

Jinsoul, as well as the others, paused in front of parked van when they saw Sooyoung sitting inside through the window. 

"Yeah, uh, surprise?" Chaewon said sheepishly.

"We're going to go on a trip and spend over a week with *her*?" Jinsoul questioned, hostility laced in her voice.

"Honey, we already knew she was coming." Jungeun butted in, defending Chaewon. "She told us."

"Yeah, but I didn't think after her storming away she would *actually* come."

"Look, whether she's coming with us or not, we should not let it ruin our trip. She is Jiwoo's girlfriend and, even if you don't believe it, she's our friend. I'm not asking you to be joyful and let it go, but please don't be rude and let your anger towards her ruin our trip." Jungeun said sternly, continuing the defense.

Chaewon was shocked by the fauna hybrid's demeanor. Ever since they have been here, Chaewon has never seen Jungeun be so serious about anything. Usually, she would be the one to be happy-go-lucky and never tried to intervene.

Jinsoul seemed to take notice of this, and immediately sighed in defeat. Usually, it was Jinsoul who made the ultimatums, but this was new side of Jungeun that Chaewon had never seen.

"Fine." Jinsoul agreed, groaning but chose to comply.

Chaewon looked at Hyejoo, who was silent this entire time, and noticed the worry in her eyes. It was clear to Chaewon that, out of all of them, Hyejoo seemed to be the most emotional about the whole situation with Sooyoung.

After this, Jiwoo stepped out of the van to greet them.

"Hey, guys! Are you ready?"

"Yes, we were just getting in the van!" Chaewon replied, trying to ignore the awkwardness.

Following Jiwoo, the four of them walked up into the van. While Jiwoo seemed to be aware of them, Sooyoung was ignoring them - ears plugged up with earbuds. Her head was down, presumably looking at her phone. 

Hyejoo was the one who sat farthest from Sooyoung, since in the three row van, she sat in the right front row with Chaewon, while Sooyoung say left third row. Jinsoul and Jungeun sat right behind Hyejoo and Chaewon in the the right second row. Jiwoo sat in the first row as well, but on the left side. Jiwoo, Chaewon and Jungeun sat nearest to the walkway, while the others were next to windows.

There was a compartment above their seats, so their luggages were placed in it, as to give them room in the van.

Once everything was settled, Jiwoo told the van driver to start driving, heading on their three hour journey.

"What about the other girls?" Hyejoo asked, a few minutes after they left the apartment.

"A separate van will pick them up! I already told Kahei all the details and the driver knows what they're doing. We're going to make a stop after about ninety minutes, so we'll see them then!" Jiwoo replied, reassuring any worry.

"Just lay back guys, this will be a long ride and we're going to get there after dark!" Chaewon suggested, looking at the sunset out of the window.

Luckily, the ride so far was very calm and mostly quiet. Jinsoul had already fallen asleep, while Jungeun and Jiwoo had been talking for the past thirty minutes. Hyejoo was sleeping as well, laying her head on Chaewon's shoulder as Chaewon was busy typing on her phone.

Ever since she has to write the script for the play, Chaewon had a new flame of motivation towards her writing. So while she still felt this motivation, Chaewon decided to write down whatever she was feeling or thinking. Maybe the collage of ideas will verge into one cohesive storyline.

"Mm...can you not think so loudly?..."

Chaewon was startled by Hyejoo suddenly waking up.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You know how I can hear your thoughts?" Hyejoo started, voice low. "Well, you were thinking so hard that I could hear your thoughts in my sleep..."

"O-Oh...sorry..."

"No need to be sorry. I'm not upset or anything." Hyejoo looked down at Chaewon's phone. "What are you doing?"

"Just typing down some ideas for a story." Chaewon replied, lifting her phone to show Hyejoo. "I've been inspired these days to write, so I wanted to take advantage of it."

Hyejoo read through the dozens of words and phrases that were type out on the phone.

"A lot of these are about romance."

"Oh, really? I never noticed!" Chaewon said, blushing when she noticed how many words and phrases including romantic elements.

"That's fine. I think that's cool." Hyejoo complimented. "Did I inspire them?"

"I guess so..." Chaewon blushed harder, since Hyejoo was right. 

Hyejoo chuckled and smirked slightly.

"That's cute."

There was a small pause.

"Hey, Hyejoo?"

"Hm?"

"Since you're a hybrid, that means you have a dragon form, right?"

"Yeah, we do." Hyejoo confirmed. "But most of us rarely use it. We used it in battled or to protect others, but now that's been so peaceful, we rarely transform fully."

"When was the last time you transformed?" 

"When I had that final fight with my father. So...over a year ago."

"What does it look like?"

"Well, it's not like I'm all big and terrifying like you guys like to stereotype us as. For me, I'm only a couple feet taller than I am now. Flame hybrids are usually pretty buff because we're supposed to be the strongest. We're also a shade of red - for me, I'm a dark red color. I also have large wings and sharp teeth, but otherwise I'm not that special."

Chaewon became even more curious about Hyejoo's dragon form. Describing is one thing, but seeing it with her own eyes would be amazing. However, Chaewon probably would not be able to see her form since it would be dangerous with all those people trying to hint them. 

Maybe one day, though.

"It must be cool to use magic."

"I mean, yeah. It's pretty cool." Hyejoo shrugged. "Where did that come from?"

"Oh, nothing! I'm just curious." Chaewon clarified. "I mean, being a hybrid must be fun!"

"Mhm, it has its perks."

Hyejoo lifted her hand in front of both of them. Tiny sparks flew around her hand, until fire appeared in the palm of it. The fire acting similar to ball, with Hyejoo being able to bounce in her hand and spin around her finger. 

Chaewon watched in wonderment as Hyejoo was doing this, amazed at never seeing anything like this. 

After a minute of this, Hyejoo rolled the fire ball into the middle of her hand and closed her hand tightly, dissipating it.

"That's only a small part of it." Hyejoo said, noticing the amazement in Chaewon's face.

"What else can you do?" Chaewon asked, making Hyejoo chortle.

"You'll have to wait and see."

***

When it reached the ninety minute mark, they all stopped at a gas station so they could stretch. When the six of them got out of the van, the others who were in the other van was just arriving and getting out as well. 

"Hey guys!" Yerim exclaimed, rushing over to them, along with the others.

"Oh my god, finally!!" Heejin let out an exaggeration sigh as she walked up to them. "I could stand this girl talking for another second!"

"Hey, I wasn't talking THAT much!" Yerim protested. 

"You were talking ever since we left." Hyunjin said, disproving Yerim's argument. "I'm pretty sure that's a lot."

"I see you all are having fun." Jungeun teased, amused by the conversation.

"Lots." Heejin groaned sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

Chaewon giggled, also amused, but then her expression dropped when she saw Sooyoung. She was still on her phone, leaving against the van and not acknowledging anyone. Come to think of it, Sooyoung had not spoken to them once the entire time, not even Jiwoo. It was pretty strange, but not too much considering Sooyoung's habits.

"Come on, baby!" Hyejoo held Chaewon's hand, trying to pull her along. "Let's go get a snack before we hit the road again."

"Oh! I want snacks too!" Yeojin joined in. 

Yeojin grabbed Yerim's hand as well, to get her to come with.

"Come on, we can get some chips to share!"

Yerim's reaction was immediate as her eyes widened and face started to burn up. She smiled and laughed sheepishly and in excess, making almost everyone look at her with tilted heads.

"O-Oh okay! Sure! Whatever you say!!" Yerim said awkwardly between laughs.

"Is she always like this around Yeojin?" Hyejoo muttered to Chaewon.

"Oh yeah, for years!"

"That must've gotten annoying fast."

Chaewon chuckled at the comment, because it was true. At times, it would be annoying with how Yerim would create to pretty much anything Yeojin would do. But also, it was even more annoying that Yeojin could not pick it up.

"How about me, Hyejoo, Yerim and Yeojin got get snacks for all of us really quick?" Chaewon suggested, so that all of them did not have to go in at once and crowd of the store. There were twelve of them, after all.

"Sounds like a plan!" Jiwoo agreed. "Make sure to get some candy as well!"

"Okay!" Chaewon said as the four of them walked into the gas station store. 

When they went through the store, the four of them pretty much picked up one of each food item. Since Hyejoo and the other hybrids have rarely ever tried human snacks, Hyejoo was curious to trying every snack she saw. Yeojin and Yerim got a few chip bags to share as the promised , as well as other snack bags for the others. Chaewon made sure to get a lot, since they were a huge group, as well as the candy Jiwoo wanted.

Getting up to the register, they had a lot of things to check out and a lot of money to spend, but it was worth it.

"Oh this looks good!" Heejin held up the long bar of chocolate that Hyejoo handed her.

"I know right? I got some for myself too!" Hyejoo agreed.

As the four of them handed the rest of them their snacks, Chaewon looked at Sooyoung again. This time, she was not on her phone, but instead was just leaning against the van, looking around awkwardly.

Chaewon built up the courage to walk up to Sooyoung, a bag of snacks in hand.

"Hey, Sooyoung." 

Sooyoung was startled by this and quickly stood up from the leaning. She looked at Chaewon, confused by why she came up to her.

"I bought you some snacks." Chaewon said, hand her the bag. "Here!"

Sooyoung looked between Chaewon and the bag, skeptical. She was hesitant to taking the bag, making Chaewon think she would just ignore her, but then was relieved when Sooyoung carefully took it out of her hand.

"Thank you....Chaewon." Sooyoung said, still with hesitancy. 

"No problem!"

Chaewon was about to walk away, assuming that their conversation would stop there, but then Sooyoung spoke up.

"Um, Chaewon?"

"Yeah?" Chaewon turned back to her.

"Uh..." Sooyoung opened her mouth, about to say something, but then shook her head. "Nevermind."

Chaewon noticed that Sooyoung was looking behind her, and turned to see who she was looking at. Chaewon saw Hyejoo standing there, talking with Jinsoul and Jungeun, but every now and then she glanced at Sooyoung, sadness in her eyes. Chaewon could not tell if Hyejoo was talking about Sooyoung or not, but she seemed to be watching Sooyoung carefully.

"Oh... right." Chaewon said in understanding as she turned back to Sooyoung "Well, see you later!"

Sooyoung nodded and promptly got back into the van, bag of snacks in hand.

Chaewon walked to Hyejoo and the others, still worried about what she had witnessed. As soon as she came up to Hyejoo, the flame hybrid's reaction was immediate, holding Chaewon's hand with fingers interwoven tightly, almost possessively.

"What happened between you two?" Hyejoo asked, sounding concerned.

"I just gave her the snacks, that's it." Chaewon responded. "Why?"

Jinsoul had her arms crossed, looking down as if she was holding something back. Jungeun had the opposite reaction, smirking and looking at Hyejoo as if to say "I told you so". 

"Nothing... nevermind." Hyejoo said, trying to drop the subject. "Let's just get back on the road."

Chaewon did not know what was going on, but now was not the time to question it. The last thing she wanted was for them to cause a scene over Sooyoung again.

***

All twelve of them got to the rental house when it was a few minutes before ten o'clock. There was some traffic along the way but they were just relieved that they made it safely.

Most of them were half asleep, trying to get their things out of the car with tired eyes.

When Jiwoo unlocked the room to the house and they all went inside, everyone was staring and looking around in awe of how big and neat it was. It looked pretty expensive, but considering how wealthy Jiwoo was, it was not that surprising. They were only using this for eight days, but it looked like a place they could live in forever.

"Jiwoo, you didn't need to buy a house like *this*." Kahei said, shocked by the inside of the house. "We're only renting it for eight days."

"I had to! My friends deserve nothing but perfection!" Jiwoo said, reassuring them of any worry. "Besides, there is twelve of us, so we need to get a lot of space!"

"Wow, and there's already Christmas decorations!" 

Yeojin walked into the large living room and saw a huge Christmas tree in the middle of it, as well as some decorating hanging all over.

"Yeah, I made sure it was all set up before I got here." Jiwoo explained.

"Anyway, I'm tired so can we just go to bed now?" Heejin whined, dragging her luggage sleepily.

"Sure but first we have to assign rooms!" 

"How many rooms are in this place?" Hyunjin asked.

"Four, but some rooms have more beds and space than others!"

"Well, I think these two should definitely get their own room." Heejin suggested, pointing to Jinsoul and Jungeun. "Because I would never get any sleep with what these two do at night."

"You're one to talk." Jungeun teased. "You do lots of *things* at night too. You probably would do *things* with Hyunjin too."

Hyunjin's face turned bright red, knowing what they were alluding to. 

"Uh, I'd rather not..." Hyunjin defended, embarrassed that she was brought up in that way.

"Anyway," Chaewon said, getting them back on track. "So, Jinsoul and Jungeun should have their own room since they're married anyway...and *that* as well."

"I think you and Hyejoo should have your own room too." Jiwoo suggested. "Because you two are newly in love and you might want so me privacy."

"I just still can't believe my baby has a soulmate!" Jungeun squealed enthusiastically. 

"Wait, so that's what's going on?" Heejin asked in realization. "I just thought you two were disgustingly in love with each other."

"Yeah, we're soulmates." Hyejoo confirmed, too tired to fight with them over the subtle teasing. 

"Wait, soulmates exist??" Yerim exclaimed, shocked. "I thought they were only in fiction!"

"Yeah they do, but they're like one in a million." Jinsoul explained. "Clearly, they were bonded together for a reason."

Chaewon, once again, looked at Sooyoung, who was standing mostly to the side while they talked. However, instead of being in her own world, Sooyoung looked like listening carefully. It seemed like the topic of soulmates got her attention because her expressions was both stunned and serious. Sooyoung then looked at Hyejoo, worriedly, as if she was running through a million thoughts in her head. She finally met eyes with Chaewon and turned away.

It was strange for her to be acting like she did not know, since Chaewon had told Sooyoung a while ago.

So why is she acting like it was new information?

"So wait, you can read each other's minds too??" Yerim exclaimed, amazed. 

"Mhm, we can." Hyejoo affirmed. "We can also feel each other's pain too."

"Aren't soulmates support to be between two hybrids?" Hyunjin questioned.

"Supposedly." Jungeun responded. "I guess this case must be extra special!"

"I think we are getting off topic again." Haseul finally spoke up, the only one who was over the conversation. "We should go rest so we can get ready for the morning."

"Sorry, you're right!" Jiwoo agreed. "Okay, so how about me, Sooyoung, Yerim, and Yeojin be in one room? And then Heejin, Hyunjin, Haseul and Kahei can be in the other? That leaves our two closest couples to their own rooms!"

"Sure, I don't mind." Kahei said.

"I can do that!" Yeojin agreed with the plan.

"Alright then, it's settled!" Jiwoo concluded. "Now, let's all head to bed! We have a lot to do in the morning!"

Following this, everyone headed to their designated rooms on the top floor. Chaewon and Hyejoo chose the room all the way at right end, which was one bed room and was small but cozy. From right to left, there was Jinsoul and Jungeun in another bedroom, then Heejin, Hyunjin, Haseul and Kahei in one room, then Jiwoo, Sooyoung, Yerim and Yeojin in another. The rooms with the groups of four had to bunk beds, enough for each member to have their own bed to sleep in. The hallway on the top floor were long, so they did not feel any clutter. There were four bathrooms in the place, two upstairs (one of them can be reached through Jinsoul and Jungeun's room and the other bathroom door was in the middle) and two downstairs.

After unpacking a few things, that all changes into pajamas and started to get ready for bed.

"Good night, everyone!" Chaewon called out from the hallway, with everyone saying "good night" back. 

Before heading back to her room, Sooyoung walked out of the room, getting Chaewon's attention.

"Oh, Sooyoung!" Chaewon exclaimed when she noticed. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, uh, but one question." Sooyoung began. 

"Yeah?"

"Why were you so nice to me?" Sooyoung asked. "I mean, you barely even know me and besides, the others seem to hate me. Jiwoo said that you wanted me to come and then the snacks. But even before then, we talked on the way to your apartment and gave me your number. You treated me like...I was a friend."

"Oh that's easy." Chaewon smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Because, you are still a good person. I believe that you are way nicer and a better person than you present yourself as. So, I treat you as such."

"But...what if I'm not a good person like you think I am?..." 

Sooyoung sighed and put her head down. 

Chaewon did not know the full meaning of what she meant, but she reassured her nonetheless.

"Well, you're right, I don't know that. But if you really wanted to become a better person, then how about we start over?"

"Start over?.."

"Yeah, and I'll tell you a secret." Chaewon came close to Sooyoung's ear, and began to whisper. "It all starts with making amends with those you hurt."

Sooyoung pulled back, taking in the words that Chaewon had said. She looked back at Chaewon, expression having various emotions.

"I'll see you tomorrow." 

Chaewon walked back into her bedroom, leaving the hybrid in the hallway speechless.

Step three complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 10! We finished the whole play arc, and now we going into the Christmas House arc! This was mostly a set up for the new arc, with a little more hints being placed throughout! OT12 is finally all together, so that will lead to some shenanigans! But, there will also be some heartwarming moments, and I think you guys can already guess one of them..*wink wink*. Also, Sana is here and drop some strange messages...what do you think they mean? 
> 
> Also, this story will slowly be going into the POV of Hyejoo and Chaewon! For the past chapters, I've been doing the point of view of everyone (besides Sooyoung and Haseul for reasons...👀) but now, the POV will either be Hyejoo or Chaewon! This is to lead up to things to come, and to add to that mystery element. There will be times where the other members will have POV moments, but it will mostly be HyeWon. ♡
> 
> A lot of things coming up soon, so be ready! - 
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more information, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	11. 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want us to move forward.  
> Our relationship was too precious to be forgotten.  
> So now, I will tell you all my secrets  
> As of right now,  
> 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

Chaewon gradually opened her eyes and rubbed them tiredly. She did not know what time it was, but a glance at the sun through the window told her it had to be around 8 am. She sighed and turned to lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.

Today was when Chaewon had to pull out her plan. There was only one more step to go until it could be completed. All she needed to do was get Sooyoung to make the first move. Hopefully, what Chaewon said yesterday had gotten to her and will allow Sooyoung to be more open. Now Chaewon hoped that Jinsoul, Jungeun and Hyejoo were willing to listen. It would clear up a lot of tension between them and allow then to move forward.

Today was the make or break it.

Chaewon felt arms wrap around her waist and snuggle into her. Hyejoo was still fast asleep, letting out light murmurs now and then. The flame hybrid was adorable while she was sleeping, Chaewon noted, which added to how much of a baby Hyejoo was.

As Chaewon laid there silently, her mind immediately drifted to the other events from yesterday. That lady, "Sana" she said her name was, was very strange. Even though what she said made no sense, Chaewon thought hard about it. Clearly, it has meaning since it tied into "the sun" mystery that keeps being brought up. But since Sana was so cryptic, it made what she said hard to decipher. 

Sana said that something was going to happen on New Year's Day...but what? Did it have something to do with her? Well, obviously, since she was telling Chaewon this. But still, what was going to happen? What was going to transform?

Everything about the situation was making her head spin.

"You think too hard, you know that?...." Hyejoo groaned as she finally woke up.

"Oh, sorry..." Chaewon apologized. "I was just thinking about what Sana said..."

"You mean that crazy lady from yesterday?..." Hyejoo asked. "She made no sense..."

"I mean, I do understand that something will change on New Year's Day and it has to do something with us...but what is it? Is it a bad thing? She talked about transforming and adapting to it... And then it all led back to my dream about the sun...Is this a coincidence or does it have meaning?..."

Hyejoo hummed and thought about it for a second.

"Mm...I think it has meaning. I think the sun has something to do with us. I don't know what it has to do with us or how it's going to change us....but we just have to wait and see. Maybe, your dream was the first sign."

"Then what about my nightmares?..." Chaewon asked, getting scared. "What do they mean? Are they supposed to be a sign?"

The nightmares she used to have always depicted herself getting harm by many elements, including drowning, burning alive, having the air sucked out of her. If this was supposed to be a foreshadowing.... Chaewon did not want to know.

"I don't think so...we don't have any evidence of that yet so don't stress." Hyejoo reassured. "Besides, I'll make sure nothing happens to you, no matter what."

Chaewon felt her face heat up when Hyejoo said this. The way she sounded so serious about it made Chaewon feel safe immediately. But, then again, the fact that Hyejoo could turn into the strongest and intimidating beasts imaginable at any time was reassurance enough.

"Even if you have to bite someone's head off?" Chaewon said jokingly.

"Babe, I would burn down the whole city to keep you safe."

Both of them laughed breathlessly as the fear in the air cleared up.

"But in all seriousness, we should probably go talk to Sana after we get back. Maybe if we bug her enough, she'll tell us." Hyejoo suggested, since they really had no other option.

"I sure hope so. In the meantime, we should probably prepare for what's going to happen on New Year's Day."

"How do we even prepare for that?..."

"I don't even know! I guess we'll deal with it as it comes!" Chaewon said, still hopeful that everything will be fine.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Hyejoo chuckled, while sitting up from the bed. "So, anymore random thoughts?"

"Well, not random, but do you think this something to do with that hybrid gang you're trying to find?"

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know, I just thought that since they've been so quiet lately that maybe their waiting for something. Like...what we're waiting for."

"Maybe. I mean, we are pretty cunning creatures and like to wait for that perfect opportunity to strike at something we want. So, that's pretty likely, actually. But, the only thing we're missing is evidence that they are even connected to this whole "sun mystery". Plus, even if they are, what do we do with it?"

"Well, I guess we'll have to wait and see."

***

Soon after their conversation, Chaewon and Hyejoo fixed themselves a little bit before heading down the stairs to the kitchen for some breakfast.

They assumed everyone was still sleeping since, as the walked downstairs, they did not hear anything. But then, as the reached the bottom, they heard quiet voices and a bit of shuffling.

Chaewon and Hyejoo looked at each other, slightly frightened that someone had broken into the house. But as they tiptoed closer to the living room area, the voices started to sound familiar.

When they turned the corner, they saw Jiwoo and Yerim holding up what looked to be a painting. But, they could not see what it looked like since their bodies blocked the view.

"I think this looks perfect!" Jiwoo whispered. "You have nothing to worry about!"

"Really?" Yerim whispered back, slightly louder than Jiwoo.

"Yes, now put it away before Yeojin wakes up!"

Yerim took the painting and placed it into a large bag, zipping it up afterwards. She took the bag and placed into the closet that was nearby. 

"Okay, let's-"

As Jiwoo turned around, she spotted Chaewon and Hyejoo looking at them. She jumped a little but then relaxed when she recognized them.

"Oh my god, you guys scared me!" Jiwoo exclaimed, taking a breath. 

"Oh, sorry!" Chaewon apologized, smiling sheepishly. "We were just wondering what you guys were doing."

"Well," Jiwoo placed her hand around Yerim's shoulders. "Yerim, here, is going to confess her undying love for Yeojin!"

"Really??" Chaewon put her hand over her mouth, gasping.

After years of awkward flirting and fawning, Yerim was finally going to do it. After all this time, Chaewon thought Yerim would never go through with telling Yeojin her feelings. 

"Good for you, Yerim!" Chaewon praised, excited. "When are you going to do it?"

"Tomorrow! It will be like a Christian gift!" Yerim responded. "I'm going to tell her then give her the painting.

"Wow, how come you're doing it now?"

"Oh well-"

"Because she had a love expert like me!" Jiwoo said proudly. 

"Yeah, and also because Jiwoo said that Yeojin actually liked me! I mean, who knew?" 

Chaewon chuckled to herself.

*'Yeah, who knew?'* 

"That's great! I hope it goes well." Chaewon said, proud of her friend. 

"Me too..."

After this conversation, Chaewon and Hyejoo went back to what they were originally planning on doing while Jiwoo and Yerim went back to bed. They headed to the kitchen and looked to see what they could eat. Jiwoo seemed to have stocked the fridge and cabinets with every kind of food imaginable. At first, they did not even know what to eat, but decided on keeping it simple and settled on muffins. 

Chaewon was about to place the muffins in the toaster oven to warm it, until Hyejoo took them out of her hands.

"I think you're forgetting something."

"What?" Chaewon asked, clueless to what she was forgetting.

Hyejoo took one of the muffins in her hand and positioned her other hand over it. Chaewon could see heat waves radiating from her hand, as Hyejoo moved her hovering hand from side to side above the pastry.

Hyejoo then handed the muffin to Chaewon, who, as soon as held it, almost dropped it when she felt how hot it was.

"Is that good enough?" Hyejoo joked, chortling at Chaewon's reaction.

"Yes, thank you my personal food warmer." Chaewon joked back, making them both laugh.

Hyejoo did the same to her own muffin and they both sat at the table to eat together. 

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" Chaewon asked after a minute of them eating.

"Sure, ask away." Hyejoo looked up and gave Chaewon her complete attention.

"What is your relationship with Sooyoung?" Chaewon asked. "I mean, you seem to have the most emotional response to what's been going between you guys."

"She's..." Hyejoo's voice trailed off as she thought of the right word. "She's like a role model. She inspired me a lot back in the day, when was young and lonely. Sooyoung...just understood me. We both had fucked up childhoods, so we related in that way. She would give me advice with all the shit I went through, which I still appreciate to this day. But, Sooyoung was also the sister I never had. We would do everything together, and we were hardly seen apart. But then....she left."

Hyejoo took a deep shaky breath, thinking of the bitter memory.

"Sooyoung left out of nowhere, never telling or hinting at me that she would leave. I just woke up one day and I went to her room. I didn't see her in bed, but instead a note. The note said that she left for Earth and said to not look for her. At first, I didn't believe it. But...then her parents came."

"What...did they do?"

"For some reason, they blamed us for their daughter's disappearance. Now, Sooyoung's parents were messed up people who never cared about Sooyoung unless it benefitted them. So, it was not surprising that they would blame us for "letting their precious moneymaker escape". They had even attacked Jungeun out of anger, which was the last straw. After a bit of fighting for weeks, Jinsoul decided that it was enough and told the council of their actions. Since the assaults happened on our territory, they were tried under our laws. They were locked up in jail for a while before they were murdered there by other inmates. But, during all that...I was just worried about Sooyoung. I was both angry and heartbroken that she decided to leave us."

"So...when she came back, you did not know how to react." Chaewon inferred, of which Hyejoo confirmed by nodding.

"I did not what I should feel towards her. Of course, I'm happy we found her and that she's safe. But, I can't help but hold a grudge against her for leaving us out of nowhere. I was hurt that she came back and didn't even give an explanation or try to make up for it. Sooyoung just kept avoiding the issue, which pissed me off. I don't hate her at all, I just wish she wouldn't try to hide things all the time."

"You want her to open up to you."

"Exactly." Hyejoo affirmed. "I though I knew her but now...I don't think I ever knew her as much as I thought I did."

"So, say if she did open up..." Chaewon began. "Would you be willing to move past this?"

"I mean, yeah, of course. That is...if she actually wanted to."

Chaewon felt a lot more hopeful that this plan will work. If Sooyoung truly took her advice to heart, then maybe the relationship between all them will go back to normal (or at least close to it). 

"Although, I don't know if Jinsoul will feel the same." Hyejoo continued. "She feels a lot more betrayed, so it might take her some time. But, she'll come around eventually as long as Sooyoung doesn't fuck up again."

After Jinsoul's reaction to seeing Sooyoung from yesterday, Chaewon was not surprised to hear this. Jinsoul did seem the most unsympathetic out of the three, so it might take a while for Jinsoul to warm up to the idea.

"What about Heejin? She didn't seem to bothered." Chaewon wondered.

"Because she knew Sooyoung the least. They talked from time to time, and sometimes would tease each other, but they were never as solid as the other three of us were. When we told Heejin what happened, she was a little upset, but didn't know her enough to hold a grudge. If we forgive her, then she will too."

Chaewon noticed how gloomy Hyejoo looked so she stopped asking questions so they could finish eating in peace. By the time they finished eating and got up from the table, Chaewon had an idea for something they could do. She did not know if the hybrid would be down to do it, but it was worth a shot.

"Hyejoo, how about we go out for a walk?" Chaewon said as they left the kitchen. "Just for a few minutes to get some air."

"Sure?" Hyejoo replied, questioning how random it was. "I don't mind."

After sending a text to Jiwoo about where they were going, Chaewon with Hyejoo put on heavy coats and went outside of the house for the walk. The house was in front of a forest, so they decided to saunter on the path that went through it. They held hands and took in the scenery. They could not describe it, but the forest seemed very magical in a way. Chaewon and Hyejoo felt like they had stepped into another world. 

The trees were hovering over them and were twinkling from the snow that covered their branches. The two of them could hear birds singing a harmonious song that rang above the treetops. There were flowers of many types scattered upon the forest floor, decorating it with many colors and shapes. The mood became more tranquil and whimsical as they treaded deeper inside the forest. There was a lavender scent in the air, which relaxed them with a every whiff they took of it.

Chaewon and Hyejoo lost track of time easily, still in awe of the mystic scenery. Neither of them said a word so far, choosing to take everything in. 

"Want to sit for a bit?" Chaewon asked, pointing towards the white bench placed by the side of a pond. 

"Sure."

Chaewon and Hyejoo sat on the bench, gazing at more of the scenery. 

The more Chaewon looked around, the more she noticed some strange details about the forest. For example, it was in the middle of winter, however the pond in front of them was not frozen over. Or the fact they have seen a lot of animals while walking, despite this being the time for hibernation. Come to think of it, the forest was not even cold at all. In fact, it was lukewarm, oddly enough.

"Hey, Hyejoo?"

"Hm?"

"Does this place seem....odd to you?" Chaewon asked, looking at Hyejoo confusedly.

"Yeah, a little bit." Hyejoo agreed. "But, in a magical way."

"It feels like we're in another world..."

As they were still gazing around, Chaewon and Hyejoo heard some shuffling coming from behind. They jerked around and saw the bushes moving, as if someone (or something) was in it. Hyejoo was immediately alert, tense and placing her hand in front of Chaewon as a protection. 

After more shuffling, a creature emerged from the bushes.

It was a baby horse, a foal, which was very small and thin. However, what immediately stunned them was that the foal had pure white wings that was about half its size. The foal was also pastel yellow with a slight shimmer to it. 

The creature stood there, eyes wide and staring at the two woman curiously.

"What the..." Chaewon stared at it, loss for words. "Is that..."

"A...pegasus?" Hyejoo finished, staring as well. "Yes."

"They exist??"

"Yes, but I've never met one before. I know Jungeun has, though."

Chaewon could not tear her eyes away from the majestic creature. It was so beautiful, and something that Chaewon never thought she would see in her life. This moment felt too surreal.

Hyejoo slowly stood up and cautiously walked over to the pegasus, trying not to scare it. She eventually got close enough that she could touch it, warily trying to do so.

"Hyejoo, what are you doing??" Chaewon exclaimed quietly, scared for Hyejoo.

"It's okay..." 

The pegasus turned to Hyejoo, looking up at her innocently. Hyejoo, when she noted that the creature was not scared of her, placed an hand on its head. When the pegasus did not jerk away, the hybrid became more confident and started to run her hand through its mane. The mane of the pegasus was as white as its wings, as well as being long and flowy. 

Clearly, the pegasus seemed to like that, as it let out content squeals and rubbed its head into Hyejoo's hand.

Chaewon watched the scene before her, amazed, and began to loosen up. She got up from the bench and stood next to Hyejoo, still stunned.

"It... likes you." Chaewon awed.

"Yeah, I think so." 

Chaewon and Hyejoo giggled to themselves as the pegasus got more excited and let out even more joyful noises. When Hyejoo eventually pulled her hand away, the pegasus became jumpy and hopped around happily.

"It is so cute!!" Chaewon said, watching the creature jump with heart eyes. "I wonder what it's doing here."

"Yeah, pegasi only exist on our side. They're pretty much in every dragon dimension, except for Sooyoung's. But they're extremely rare." 

When the pegasus stoped jumping, Chaewon got to take a closer look at it. She only then noticed that there was a necklace around the creature's neck. Chaewon bent down to take a closer look at it and noticed there was a name on its pendant engraved in cursive:

*Soleil* 

" "Soleil"?..." Chaewon read out the name, pondering on it. 

"Is that its name?" Hyejoo questioned, assuming.

"I think so.."

Suddenly, Soleil started to prance away, making noises towards them. She motioned her head forward repeatedly, trying to tell them something.

"I think she wants us to follow her." Hyejoo noted, which made the creature nod at her.

Chaewon and Hyejoo looked at each other and shrugged to say "why not?". They had nothing better to do anyway and maybe she would lead them to somewhere important. 

Also, it was not everyday you meet a pegasus and they were not about to waste it.

So they followed Soleil further into the forest, curious about where she was taking them. They ended up reaching this new part of forest that seemed even more magical, with the sweet lavender scent becoming stronger.

The creature led them further until they were in front of this cave opening. The cave seemed to illuminate a bright yellow light from the inside, as if to guide them.

"Why would she bring us here?" Chaewon asked, looking inside the cave with caution.

" I don't know...." 

Soleil kept trotting forward, a little slower this time since they seemed to have mostly reached their destination. Even though they were a little scared, their curiosity overtook them and they followed the pegasus inside. 

The cave was much more humid than the air outside. The cave was looked very old, with cracking rocks, vines hanging from the cave top, and moss littered everywhere. But, it was very spacious and seemingly endless as they have been walking walking for a quite a while.

The three of them finally made it to where the light was coming from, which made Chaewon and Hyejoo stand in place, eyes blown wide and mouth gaped.

The light shone down through an opening from the cave ceiling, onto the room they had just entered. The room was spacious but mostly empty, except for the artwork that was engraved into the cave floor. The art was of a detailed sun, large enough to cover the whole floor. The sun had six rays that curled out from the sun's center, each having its set of unique designs. The center of the sun had a combination of all six designs, with an eye in the middle. 

Hyejoo walked over to one of the sun's rays and touched it with her finger, tracing it gently.

"This must have been here for centuries..." Hyejoo commented, analyzing the intricate details. "It looks ancient..."

"Ancient but... beautiful." Chaewon said, gazing in wonderment as she walked up to get a closer look.

Hyejoo saw a certain ray that caught her eye. It had designs that looked like flames. She did not know what came over her but Hyejoo sauntered over to it. She touched the Ray and was immediately stunned by what came next:

From the point where Hyejoo's finger laid, the sun ray's design began to glow a bright red, until it stopped before it reached the sun's center.

"Wh- Huh?" Chaewon gasped, watching the event with awe. "How did you do that??"

"I don't know!" Hyejoo looked at Chaewon, confused as she is. "All I did was-"

"Hyejoo! Your eyes!"

"What?"

"They're red!" 

"Wait, what?"

Chaewon pulled out her phone from her pocket and opened her camera app, turning it to its selfie mode. She then rushed over to Hyejoo and showed the phone screen to her, the camera acting like a mirror.

Hyejoo could see that her eyes were also glowing bright red, the same as the design below her.

"How is that even possible?..." 

"How does this place even exist?" Chaewon asked. "Earth doesn't have any magic, at least I don't think so..."

"If that was the case, then we wouldn't be here right now."

Hyejoo stood back up and removed her finger from the design, which reverted the design and her eyes back to normal.

"But, are we the first people to find this? It looks like it hasn't been touched...ever!"

"Maybe it has, but not for a long time." Hyejoo theorized. "But, I don't know if any humans have found this. I feel like if they did, then this would've been made a big deal."

"But it's not like it's hard to find... I mean, even the forest itself looks unusual."

"Then, maybe humans can't find it. Like, maybe humans can't see it or sense it."

"But, I'm a human! If I can find it, then what about others??" 

Their conversation was interrupted by Soleil coming up to them and making loud noises to get their attention. 

"What is it, Soleil?" Hyejoo asked, wondering what the creature wanted.

Soleil trotted over away, towards the center of the sun. She stood on the eye and then pointed at Chaewon with her head.

"Me?" Chaewon asked, pointing to herself.

The pegasus nodded vigorously.

Chaewon walked over to the creature confusedly. Soleil stepped aside to allow Chaewon to stand on the eye. Chaewon, a little hesitant, stood on the eye.

"Why did you want me to do this?"

The pegasus then galloped over to Hyejoo, pointing its head at the sun's ray that Hyejoo had touch earlier. Hyejoo got the hint and touched the design again. 

The same event that happened last time occured once again, however something new happened. 

When the red glow reached the sun's center, in slowly faded into a yellow light, which circled around the center. Every design inside the circle began to glow yellow as well, including the eye that Chaewon was standing on. 

Chaewon felt something powerful come over her, as if she gained a newly found strength. She could not accurately describe it, but it felt an out of body experience.

Chaewon and Hyejoo met eyes and saw that not only was Hyejoo's eyes red again, Chaewon's eyes was yellow as well. They stood there, loss for words and unsure what they should do now. 

But they also noticed that something else fer different. Chaewon and Hyejoo felt a connection between the two of them. It was like the fire they felt when the first kissed, but much stronger and more blissful. It was like whatever power was doing this to them was trying to strengthen the bond that they had. The connection they felt was so strong that the longer they stared at each other, the more they were hypnotized by their eyes.

They did not snap out of it until the circle that surrounded Chaewon began to emerge fire for its carvings. The flames were so high that were taller than Chaewon, ultimately blocking Hyejoo's view from her soulmate. 

In panic, Hyejoo quickly pulled her hand away from the design. The flames were quickly extinguished and the glowing red and yellow faded away. 

When Chaewon and Hyejoo met eyes again, they were back to normal.

"What...just happened?" Chaewon said, both frightened and amazed.

Soleil made more happy noises, jumping around in place as if she was celebrating.

"Man, I wish I could understand you..." Hyejoo chuckled breathlessly, amused by the creature's actions.

Chaewon carefully walked back to Hyejoo, still shaken up by the experience.

"Are you okay?" Hyejoo asked, placing her hands on Chaewon's cheeks and caressing them with her thumbs to console her.

"Yeah...I think so."

"This is something I didn't expect to do today..."

"Well, you learn something new everyday..."

They both laughed a little, which lightened up the mood a bit.

"We should tell the others." Hyejoo suggested. "This could mean something important."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Before she pulled her hands away from Chaewon's face, Hyejoo placed a gentle kiss on her lips. It was out of nowhere but it just felt right at that moment. Whatever that magic done to them had made their bond at a higher level than they have ever felt before. Honestly, it did not even feel like Hyejoo was in control of her own actions. Hyejoo was neither in control of how delicate her following words came out her mouth.

"Let's head back to the house, sweetheart."

***

Soleil had left them back to where they found each other and they all said farewell. Chaewon and Hyejoo did not know if they would meet the pegasus again, but they silently hope so. After parting ways, Chaewon and Hyejoo hurried back to the house to retell what they had experienced.

When they walked into the house, they did not notice anyone at first. But a look at Chaewon's phone shown them that it was almost midday, meaning everyone should be awake by now. Chaewon and Hyejoo headed to the living room to see if anyone was there.

As soon as they headed to the living room, Chaewon saw something that she did not imagine she would see. 

There was Sooyoung, sitting at an angle from Jinsoul and Jungeun. Before the three noticed them, it looked like they were in a serious conversation. Jinsoul had frown on her face while Jungeun looked at Sooyoung with sympathy in her eyes.

"What's...going on?" Hyejoo asked, as confused as Chaewon was.

"Hyejoo." Jinsoul began to say. "You should probably sit with us. Chaewon, can you give us a minute?"

Chaewon nodded, knowing exactly what was going on, and left them alone as she walked over to the kitchen. 

Hyejoo sat down in the seat closest to her, which was on the side and across from Sooyoung.

"I guess...you should start from the beginning." Jinsoul said to Sooyoung, who sighed.

"Yeah, I should." Sooyoung turned to Hyejoo. "I don't how to start this but...I need you to listen to what I have to say. Please don't ask anything until I've finished."

Hyejoo, still puzzled on what was happening, simply nodded.

"Alright. So I guess I should start this but saying that I'm sorry. I left you without even saying a proper goodbye and that's fucked up. I wish I could good back in time and said something, but I can't. Now, I want to make up for it. So...let me tell you why I left."

Hyejoo did not ever expect that this would be conversation that they would ever had. She started to lose hope that she would never be close with Sooyoung ever again. But now, it was actually happening.

"I got involved with the wrong people. At first, I didn't have any suspicions. There was this one girl that would help me against my parents. You already know what kind of shit my parents did, but I never told you about *her*. She seemed to have pure intentions and just wanted to help me get my parents off my bag. She was also a death dragon too, so she lived nearby. I would got to her whenever I needed help or just needed to get away from my parents. I was around sixteen years old while she was nineteen, so I saw her as a role model. I was so naive that I didn't notice anyone strange about her. It went on for years, and one day she introduced me to her group of friends. They were very welcoming and treated me like family. I never realized that they were slowly converting me. They were like a cult - brainwashing me until I thought and acted just like them. I was so brainwashed that eventually left for Earth with them...and you guys know what happened next. They said it was for a good cause and I was helping my kind, so I thought no more of it and left with them. But all they did was kidnap and convert other hybrids that were on Earth. I don't know they did it, but they seemed to attract new members with ease, just like with me. They would go out and murder innocent people. They would cause chaos and showed no sort of remorse. But, even though it was wrong, I was so far gone that I just did it with them. I don't know what came over me but they convinced me that I was helping people. It went on for a while and then...I met Jiwoo. Somehow, falling in love with her just changed me. It opened my eyes to the fucked up shit I was doing. At that point, I decided I didn't want to be a part of their cult. But... I can't leave. They threatened my life, you guys, Jiwoo... everyone I ever loved. They have eyes and ears everywhere. You don't know who to trust because the cult had gotten so large since they've been on Earth. I get so paranoid that I just didn't want to tell anyone. Not even you guys, which I regret. And now we're here..."

Hyejoo sat there silently, trying to take in everything she just heard. It was a huge relief that she finally knew the truth. But also, Hyejoo was beyond shocked about what Sooyoung went through. She would have never known, and just thought it was for selfish reasons.

"So, now I have questions." Jinsoul began with a serious tone. "First, do you think they could be tied to the crimes we've been trying to investigate?"

"Yes, because I know they are." Sooyoung responded. "Although, I'm not sure of they're doing this to lead up to anything. They've stopped telling me everything after they realized I was not as interested as before. Right now they aren't doing anything because they went back home for one of our end of the year holidays back at my dimension, so they won't be back for another two weeks. Obviously, I didn't go."

"So, they attacked the mall? And Kahei?"

"The mall? Yes. And Kahei..." Sooyoung's voice trailed off, hesitant to respond. "Yes."

"And are you sure they aren't planning anything?"

"They could be, but I don't know what it is. They've pretty much kept any future plans between the cult leaders. But...I do know that they're looking for someone."

"Someone? Like who?"

"I'm not sure, but I've overheard that they were looking for this girl. They seem pretty persistent about it."

"That is strange..."

"Well, Sooyoung." Jungeun butted in. "I'm proud of you for telling us. We're sorry for us being unreasonable or shutting you out. But, we accept your apology. Now, everything's makes so much sense."

"Yes, but now you know that you can't hide anything that involves that cult anymore." Jinsoul demanded. "This could help us solve not only their overall plan, but find that girl before they do. Tell us anything you learn from them, since anything could help us."

"Understood. I will." 

Sooyoung?.."

Sooyoung looked in front of her and saw Hyejoo sitting there, looking at her dead in the eyes.

"Yes?"

"Are you...done?" Hyejoo began. "With all of the lies? Or the secrets? Or avoiding us? Because...I missed us being so close. I think we all missed our close relationship. But, I want to start over. Forget all the messed up shit and move forward. I just... don't want to risk getting hurt again."

"I'm done." Sooyoung said clearly, sounding genuine. "I want to move on as much as you do. So, I won't, promise."

"You better be serious." Jinsoul side eyed her.

"If that's the case..." Jungeun stood up. "Let's move forward. It may take us while for us to get over it, but at least we can try to build back what we had."

"Okay," Sooyoung got up as well. "I'd like that."

Jungeun sent Sooyoung a soft smile and gave her a tight hug. Sooyoung, pausing at first, gradually hugged her back after the shock of the sudden action faded away. 

"Thank you...for finally being honest." Jungeun said as she pulled away. 

"Yeah, finally." Jinsoul emphasised, standing as well. 

Even though Jinsoul was still angry over what happened, she was tired of dragging this out and just wanted them to move on at this point.

"Hyejoo?" 

Jungeun, along with Jinsoul and Sooyoung, turned to look at Hyejoo, who had gotten quiet. Hyejoo avoided looking at them and just sat their while putting her head down. They could hear tiny sniffles and could see small tears falling into her lap. 

Hyejoo just kept her head down, not being able to glance at any of them. They were happy tears - formed from her overwhelming joy that it was all over. They could finally go back to how it was before she left, and Hyejoo could be more elated. 

Hyejoo then felt arms circling around her, and lifted her head to see Sooyoung crouching down to meet her eyes. 

"I'm sorry." Sooyoung started to say. "I'm sorry that I did that to you. I should've never left without telling you first. Honestly, I should've never left in the first place. I love you, the same back then and the same way now, and I never stopped thinking about you once. You're like my younger sister, and you mean everything to me. I swear that I will never do anything like that again."

"I-I know..." Hyejoo stuttered, flashing Sooyoung a smile. "I believe you...I just miss you a lot. I love you too. I'm just so overjoyed right now." 

Sooyoung smiled as well and the two of them hugged each tightly. Meanwhile, Jinsoul and Jungeun looked on with soft expressions.

This felt like the start of a new beginning.

***

While all that was happening, Jiwoo and Chaewon were freaking out upstairs.

"I can't believe your plan worked!!" Jiwoo exclaimed, jumping in excitement.

"I know, I really thought that they would end up battling each other, but it worked out perfectly!" Chaewon said in relief, satisfied that everything worked out.

"Well, considering I don't hear any yelling or crashing, I'm guessing it's going well!"

"I hope so!"

"Chaewon!! Jiwoo!!" 

Jiwoo and Chaewon were startled by the sound of Jinsoul calling them from downstairs. They assumed that their discussion was finished, so they promptly walked down the steps and into the living room.

Chaewon immediately saw a crying Hyejoo, being hugged by Sooyoung. It was a scene she only thought of, but never thought she would see it happen in front of her eyes. 

"We've talked." Jinsoul began. "And, we realized a lot. But the important thing is that we are working on our relationship."

"I'm so happy for you all." Chaewon congratulated. "I hope it all works out for you guys." 

"Thank you. I hope so too."

Jungeun sauntered over to Jiwoo and linked their arms.

"So, do you want to go shopping now? We're pretty much done here." Jungeun asked, which made Jiwoo nod her head in glee.

"Of course!! We have hours, so let's go! I'll show you to all my favorite shops!"

"Yes, let's go!! I'll see the rest of you later!!"

Jungeun and Jiwoo waved goodbye and headed towards the front door, talking amongst themselves.

"I'm going to have to tell Jiwoo about what we talked about too." Sooyoung said when she stopped hugging Hyejoo and noticed that her girlfriend was gone. "She's been upset with me for weeks for not saying anything. Jiwoo tried to not act bothered by my secretive nature, but I can tell that it did. We've been avoiding each other for a while, and I just want to set things straight."

"Well, when she comes back from her shopping spree with Jungeun, maybe you could pull her to the side and just talk about it briefly. Maybe not go into detail, but just tell her your mistakes so that way she knows your genuine." Jinsoul suggested.

"You're right, I'll do that."

"In the meantime, I think we should all go out since everyone is as well!" Chaewon said.

While they were discussing, Jiwoo told Chaewon that everyone else had left to do their only thing. Apparently, Heejin and Hyunjin had went out together, while Kahei, Haseul, Yerim, and Yeojin had went out to sightsee. The only reason Jiwoo has not left like the others was because she was waiting for Jungeun.

"We could all go out and get some lunch! There's a lot of small restaurants around that we go get a quick meal at."

"Sure, why not." Hyejoo said, smiling and wiping her watery eyes. "I'd love to do that."

The other hybrids agreed and the four of them got their things and walked out, leaving the house empty.

Truly, this felt like a new beginning.

***

The hours following the event only got better from there.

After Sooyoung, Jinsoul, Chaewon and Hyejoo had went out to have lunch and sightsee as well, they made it back to the house where most of them have came back too, including Jiwoo, which allowed Sooyoung the chance to open up. None of them heard any of the conversation, but based on how Chaewon later saw them cuddling and kissing on the couch, they assumed it went well.

Chaewon and Hyejoo decided not tell anyone about what they found, not trying to ruin the mood. It had not been this relaxed in months, so they were not about to spoil it. Maybe the next day or two when everyone settled down.

The rest of the day was fun-filled and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Kahei, with Yerim's help, made some dinner for all of them and they just spent the evening relaxing until it was time to go to bed.

The next day was Christmas Day, so they all got up early so they could enjoy it to the fullest. Of course, the hybrids of the group, minus Sooyoung, did not fully grasp the concept of Christmas, but they played along nonetheless. They decided that they would go out and shop as a gift later that day and just decided to throw a small Christmas party instead.

But first, there was one thing they had to get through.

"Yeojin?"

Yeojin looked up at Yerim from the couch, who was looming over her nervously. Everyone, who was sitting or standing in living room with them, looked on, aware of what was about to happen.

"Yeah? What's up?" Yeojin said, oblivious to what was about to happen.

"I.... wanted to tell you something."

"Yeah, what is it? You know you can tell me anything!!" Yeojin grinned brightly, encouraging Yerim. "Just tell me!"

"Okay, but first-"

Yerim reached from inside a large bag and pulled out the painting from yesterday.

Everyone's eyes widened and a few audibly gasped when they saw the art piece.

It was a painted image of Yeojin, sitting in a stool and holding a brown teddy bear. The painting looked like a photograph, with every single detail being visible. Anyone could tell that Yerim took extra care to Yeojin's face, with every feature being done with great care and accuracy. 

For a twenty-one year old, Yerim painted like a professional, despite her being only three years into the field. 

Of course, to Yeojin who has seen most of her paintings being done, that was no shock to her. What was a shock to her was that this was the same painting Yerim had worked on over a month ago. She remembered herself sitting on that same stool holding that same teddy bear, with Yerim taking hours to draw her. Yerim never showed her what it looked like, wanting to finish it.

And now, Yeojin knew why.

"This is for you, Yeojin." Yerim began. "I know it's not much and I made you wait for a long time to see it, but I thought it would be right for this occasion."

"Yerim.... I love it!!" Yeojin exclaimed, eyes sparkling. "It's so amazing!! Thank you so much!" 

"You're welcome! Glad you like it!!"

"So, what were you going to tell me??"

"Well..."

At this point, everyone expected that Yerim was going to confess to Yeojin.

However, what everyone did not expect was for Yerim to pull out a couple sheets of paper out of her bag as well. 

"I didn't know how to properly say this, so I kind of wrote down how I felt! It's kinda long, but I hope you like it!"

As soon as Yerim cleared her throat and lifted one of many papers out of her hand, everyone knew they were in for wild ride.

"Yeojin. My best friend. My little baby. My little snuggle buddy. My tiny muffin. My honeybun. My cuddle wuddly sugar bear. My...."

And it went on for a good five minutes before she moved to talking about how much she loved Yeojin.

Some of it was cute, like when they first met or about the motivating each other through the interests. However, most of them did not want to hear about how "cute" the way Yeojin eats is. 

It went on for another twenty minutes, with every spectator looking on with annoyance.

"Will she ever be done?" Heejin whispered, wanting this to be over with.

"This is Yerim. She always puts out when it comes to something she's passionate about. So, I'd say another ten minutes?" Chaewon whispered back, making Heejin groan.

"Being passionate and being annoying are two completely different things, and clearly she doesn't know the difference." 

"Just give her some time, she's been waiting for this for a long time."

"Well now, I'm dreading it."

Luckily, Chaewon was right. After a little over ten minutes, Yerim had finished her speech, much to everyone's delight.

"So, then Yeojin, will you....date me?"

Yeojin, who had been the only one enjoying the whole monologue, jumped up and gave Yerim the tightest hug she had ever given to her.

"Duh! Of course I will!"

And as Yerim hugged back and the two of them had the largest smiles on their faces, everyone sighed in relief that not only was the speech done, but the two lovebirds had finally made it official.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 11! This chapter was really the start of a new beginning: not only for the characters, before the plot as well. A lot of magical elements in this one, a brought more questions than answers. And then Sooyoung finally told the others what's been going on, and now you guys know more of her back story! But, of course, there is still more to be told about her, especially with Kahei. So, there are still more secrets to be revealed in due time! And to end off the chapter, we have a cute scene with Yerim confesses her feelings to Yeojin, as a nice treat! 
> 
> Tell me what you think of this chapter in the comments below!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday! 
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	12. 𝒊 𝒂𝒎 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you came into my life and changed everything  
> or maybe you showed me a side of myself i never knew existed.  
> i thought i was normal  
> but i know i never was.  
> you hit me with this new knowledge and now  
> 𝒊 𝒂𝒎 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

The week leading up to New Year's Eve was nothing but blissfulness. 

Everyone was happy that things to seem work out between all of them.

Jinsoul, Jungeun and Hyejoo all seemed to get along with Sooyoung just fine. They caught up and started doing more things together to try and repair their bond. It seemed like they put their past behind them and are ready to start anew. 

Of course after the confession, Yerim and Yeojin started to act disgusting cute. They were awkward to any spectators, but as long as they were happy, everyone else was to. They were inexperienced, but were determined to work things out together.

Everyone else were getting swimmingly too. Sooyoung and Jiwoo were actually acting like a couple again, which made Chaewon especially content. Haseul seemed to be more comfortable around everyone, which is a huge step up from before and made Jungeun especially proud.

But the strangest (but then low-key not the strangest) duo was Heejin and Hyunjin. To everyone else, they seemed to be acting pretty close as of late, almost domestic looking? They could not say for sure. 

But then those two would bicker again and it all felt normal.

Well, almost normal.

Ever since that event in the forest, Chaewon and Hyejoo felt something off going on between them. They seemed to be clingier, not wanting to leave each other's side once. It honestly felt like it physically and mentally hurt them to be apart for so long. Not only that, but Hyejoo was a lot more protective of Chaewon than ever. It was like if anyone even looked at Chaewon for too long, Hyejoo would get pissed off or tried to get closer to her to show some sort of dominance. For example, when Jiwoo had simply hugged Chaewon for about seven seconds (which Hyejoo had said later was "too long"), Hyejoo forcefully pulled Chaewon out of the hug, brought her close, and growled at Jiwoo to intimidate her.

It was all so strange, and only got stranger as the days went on.

Jungeun had said, when they asked, that it was only because of their whole soulmate situation, but for some reason it did not feel that way.

It felt this new power, one they had never experienced before the event in that forest, was controlling the bond between them.

Nothing made sense.

But for now, Chaewon and Hyejoo tried not to dwell on it. 

Today was New Year's Eve, which was the day everyone had been anticipating. Surprisingly enough, it turned that dragons also celebrated New Year's, although in different ways. It seemed to be more sacred for dragon culture, so at least both sides seemed to think of the end of the year as important.

Everyone helped with cooking and setting everything up for their own party. They were all going to stay up until midnight, enjoying themselves until that point in time. They were a large group, so they had to make a lot of food and buy a lot of drinks so they would not run out. It took all day, but it was worth it in the end.

"Okay guys, we still have hours until midnight, since it's 6 o'clock, so let's just eat and relax!" Jiwoo announced, as all the preparations were set.

"Finally!" Yeojin jumped up from the couch and headed straight for the desserts section. "I get some cookies!"

"Not so fast, Yeojin." Hyunjin said, blocking Yeojin from the desserts. "This will be saved for later. You have to eat a proper dinner first."

"Aww, but please??" Yeojin pouted. "Kahei, can I??"

"No, sorry Yeojin. Maybe you could eat something else and then in a few hours you can have dessert, okay?" Kahei said sympathetically as she handed Yeojin a paper plate.

"Fine..." Yeojin frowned and walked away disappointed.

But then, Chaewon had noticed Jungeun walk up to Yeojin and slip something in her hands. When Yeojin sneakily looked at it, she looked up at Jungeun with the brightest smile and gave her hug. 

Yeah, everyone truly got along nicely.

As everyone got their food and sat wherever, Chaewon had gotten her own and sat next to Hyejoo to sit and eat. Hyejoo reaction was immediate, as she kissed Chaewon's cheek. 

Oh yeah, along with being protective, Hyejoo pretty much kissed Chaewon any time she could. (Not that Chaewon was complaining..)

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Hyejoo asked, after making Chaewon blush.

"Y-Yeah.. I am. I'm just glad everyone is getting along now." Chaewon said in a satisfactory tone.

"Me too. I guess your plan was a success."

"Yeah, it- wait." Chaewon had a double take and looked at Hyejoo, wide eyed. "How did you-"

"Sooyoung told me that you helped her open up." Hyejoo explained. "Then I looked back and realized that you wanted us all to make amends from beginning. And...I appreciate it. You really helped us out. If you hadn't gotten involved, we would have never crossed that barrier and tried to understand one another. Because, in case you couldn't tell, we can pretty stubborn sometimes.."

"Oh, it's not a big deal!" Chaewon brushes it off. "I just wanted you guys to talk it out. I just...gave you all a little shove, you know? You guys were the ones who actually made the step."

"Yeah, I get it." Hyejoo chuckled. "But, you really did help us. Don't discredit yourself."

"Okay..." Chaewon sighed, trying to move on from their conversation. 

"Anyway, you know we still haven't told them yet." 

"What?"

"What happened in the forest a week ago." Hyejoo clarified. "We probably should before we leave. So we can all check it out to see if it's significant to us in anyway."

"I'm pretty sure it is, we just don't know what it exactly means yet..."

"Yeah, but maybe they will. Jinsoul and Jungeun have way more exposure with magic than I am, and this seems like this would be up Hyunjin's alley."

"We'll tell them first thing in the morning." 

"Agreed." 

The more Chaewon reflected on everything that has been happening as of late, the more she realized that some of those things seemed to connect. 

The sun symbol was the biggest connection between them all. Chaewon did not mention it when they first saw it, but even the symbol on the cave floor was of a sun. At this point, Chaewon knew that the sun played a part of something big. But what it was? She had no idea. 

Chaewon wanted to figure it out because she had a feeling that it was somehow her duty to do it. Clearly, someone wanted her to, otherwise everything following that dream would not have happened. 

Moreover, there was more thought in Chaewon's mind that has been lingering since a week ago:

Why did the carvings on the floor react like that with her?

Chaewon figured maybe the reason it reacted with Hyejoo was because she was a mythical being, but herself? Chaewon was just a normal girl, with no magical ties whatsoever. What did that design have to do with her?

Hopefully with others joining them tomorrow they could find out the answer.

As hours went by, everyone got more excited for the new year. With all the food and drinks along with the positive energy, it was far from a restless night. It was an hour before midnight, so it became a waiting game until the end of the year.

"Whoo! One more hour left!!" Heejin shouted out, drink in hand and obviously tipsy.

"Of course you're already drunk..." Hyunjin rolled her eyes. "We're supposed to wait to have a drink at midnight."

"Oh well!! Too late!" 

Heejin wrapped her arm around Hyunjin's neck and brought her close while sitting down on the couch next to her. She finished her drink and looked at Hyunjin with hooded eyes.

"Why are you so serious these days?? Relax..." 

"I'm fine. I just... have a lot of things on my mind."

"Well, stop. This is supposed to be a party! We're supposed to have fun but you're ruining my fun!" 

"Your fun? You can do whatever you want to do without me." 

"Not REALLY...I need you!" Heejin whined, sounding like a begging child.

"No, you really don't." Hyunjin disagreed bluntly. "You have Jinsoul, or Jungeun, or Hyejoo, or even Yerim that you could bother or have your "fun" with."

"Well those people aren't in a special relationship with me..." 

Heejin kissed Hyunjin forcefully on the cheek, making Hyunjin try to shove the hybrid away.

"Not now..." 

"Aw, come on!! Please!" Heejin pouted, following with her peppering kisses all over Hyunjin's face. 

"Um-"

Hyunjin forcibly turned away from Heejin and looked at the couch to see Kahei sitting there awkwardly.

"Yeah, I should probably go, you know, talk to Haseul or something..." Kahei said, looking embarrassed and quickly stood up to escape the situation.

"Wait, Kahei!" Hyunjin called out before Kahei walked away. "Can I ask you something?"

"Uh, yes?" 

"How is Haseul doing? Because you guys seem to be always together."

"Oh, I mean, we are getting closer but she's still very closed-off to me." Kahei started off. "But I think Haseul is fine. She smiles a lot more from when the day I met her, so that's a positive. I think Haseul just doesn't want to bother you with anything since she told me she noticed you looked like you were always deep in thought."

"Oh.."

It was true that Hyunjin was deep in thought lately. In the beginning, Hyunjin forgot about all that happened with Yubin and the weird behavior of Haseul. But whenever she looked at Heejin, she remembered Yubin and her threats. And whenever she looked at Haseul, Hyunjin worried for her. It just kept weighing on her in the back of her mind. 

Hyunjin was not done solving this case, far from it. After Jinsoul had told her about what Sooyoung said, her brain was been grinding and turning on how it fits with her past knowledge on the case. It solved who were behind those attacks, but it did not solve what their plan was. As soon as she got back home, Hyunjin was going to have be serious about it now that she had way more information than she had previously.

"Thank you, Kahei. I'll talk to Haseul later." Hyunjin said appreciatively.

"No problem. Now, I'll just leave you two alone so you can have your...."fun". " Kahei speedily walked off, leaving Hyunjin and Heejin alone.

"Wait, Kahei, that's not-"

"Oh well, I guess it's just the two of us..." Heejin flirted, continuing to try and kiss her. 

"I hate you."

"No, you LOVE me. Otherwise you wouldn't be having that special relationship with me, right?"

Even though Hyunjin on the outside was rolling her eyes and trying to pry herself away, internally she actually did not mind this.

Honestly, with Heejin, Hyunjin does not know what she wants anymore.

***

"Guys, we have only ten minutes!!" Jiwoo called out to everyone, looking at the clock in anticipation.

"Yay! Finally!" Yeojin cheered, after stuffing her face with another piece of cake.

"Is eating this much sugar good for you?" Haseul asked, watching how much of the chocolate cake was missing.

"Well, no, but I can deal with it later! It's a party, after all! Loosen up!" Yeojin took a knife and another paper plate as she stood in front of the several cakes. "You should try some! What flavor do you want?"

"I am not sure. I never had cake back home." Haseul explained.

"Oh right! Well...you seem like a vanilla girl!" 

Yeojin cut out a piece of the vanilla cake, set it on the plate, and handed it over to Haseul along with a fork.

"Here!" 

Haseul curiously took a bite out of the cake, her face lighting up when she did.

"Wow...it is delicious." Haseul said, sounding as if she had discovered something she never realized existed. "I can eat several more."

"See? Now you understand!!"

"Yeojin, don't convert anymore people to follow your interests. You've already got Yerim." Kahei joked, chuckling lightly.

"Hey, I wouldn't say I was converted!" Yerim protested, as she also downed her third piece of strawberry cake. "I think it would be better to say that my eyes have been opened by the most adorable baby in the universe!"

"Aww! Thanks! You're the bestest person I know!" Yeojin hugged Yerim tightly, who freaked out as a response. 

"Oh, yeah, you know, you're welcome, no big deal!" Yerim said, face red while stuttering.

"In the words of Heejin," Haseul began to whisper to Kahei with a neutral face. " "This is so disgusting". "

Kahei could not help but laugh at Haseul's comment, which was made more funny by how monotone the hybrid had said it.

"Guys, we should gather around soon for the countdown!" Jiwoo again called out when she saw "11:54 PM" on her phone clock.

"Coming!!" 

Chaewon tried to stand up from her seat, but as soon as she did, Chaewon started to feel dizzy and almost fell back down as a result. She would have fallen if it was not for Hyejoo quickly grabbing her by the waist and holding her back up.

"Are you okay??" 

"Y-Yeah...I don't know why but I feel a little dizzy for some reason..."

"You didn't drink too much, did you?" Jungeun joked, noticing what just happened.

"No, I didn't drink at all..."

"Do you need to sit down?" Jinsoul asked, looking concerned. "We could just do the countdown from here."

"No, it's okay! It's only a few minutes! I'm fine, really!" Chaewon tried to stress to them, not wanting to draw attention to the headache.

"Okay, but as soon as we're done, you should go to bed so it doesn't get worse, okay babygirl?" Hyejoo said sternly, looking Chaewon dead in the eye.

"Okay..." Chaewon sighed in defeat.

"Are you all okay? There's only three minutes left." Sooyoung asked as she looked into the living room. 

"Yeah, we're coming right now!" Hyejoo replied, keeping her hand around Chaewon's waist while whispering: "Just a few minutes then you'll go to bed."

Chaewon was trying to not to show it on her face, but she felt drained internally. Her head was pounding, her body felt weak and slight in pain. It felt like she was going to pass out any second but she did not want to bring attention to herself. Hopefully, a good night's rest will make her feel better and this is only because she was staying up late.

They made it into the kitchen where everyone else was standing, with Jiwoo's eyes fixed on the countdown on her phone. Chaewon stayed by Hyejoo's side, allowing herself to stay grounded by Hyejoo's hand on her waist.

"Thirty seconds!" Jiwoo announced, with everyone getting excited with her.

Chaewon tried to look excited with them but her mind was somewhere else. It began to wander to what Sana has said over a week prior. Then it dawned on her.

Was this what she meant?

"Twenty seconds!"

This could not be what Sana meant, could it? Maybe she was just tired and this was her body's reaction. But then again, Chaewon felt she was not in any control of her body. It felt like a foreign power was draining her.

"Ten! Nine! Eight!"

Everyone started to shout out the countdown, but Chaewon could not even find the strength to speak. Her voice was caught in her throat, which turned into light panting instead.

"Seven! Six! Five!"

There was a loud ringing in her ears that almost blocked on everyone else's voices. The pounding in her head got worse and Chaewon was sure that if it was not for Hyejoo holding her so tightly, she would have fallen straight on the kitchen floor.

"Four! Three!"

Chaewon's eyes became unfocused and hazy, and she was no longer interested in what was currently happening. Everything hurt, and she could not feel her own body anymore. 

Hyejoo must have noticed this through their bond because Chaewon could of sworn that she could see Hyejoo looking worriedly at her at the corner of her eye. But Chaewon did not feel strong enough to even turn to her.

"Two!"

Chaewon could also slightly see Hyejoo trying to say something to her, but the ringing in her ears did not allow her to hear it. 

Chaewon felt like she going numb. Her legs her shaking and she could feel her consciousness slipping away. 

Chaewon almost felt like she was dying.

"One!"

All the pain overcame her and then...

"Happy New Year!!!"

Everything turned black.

***

Chaewon groaned as she felt like her head had been hit with a ton of bricks. She wanted to lay there forever, still feeling weak from the pain, but something pushed her to wake up. Chaewon slowly opened her eyes and lifted her back up from the ground to look around. As soon as her eyes cleared up, they widened when recognized where she was.

It was the same place for her first dream over a month ago when Hyejoo and the other's came. The valley looked exactly the same, even the sweet lavender scent was the same as the last time. For some reason, Chaewon felt at home here - missing a place she had only been to twice now. 

The only feature that was different is that Chaewon could see a tall tree at a distance, which had a soft pink hue. She assumed it was a Sakura tree based on that information, but she was not so sure.

Then, that power from before took over her and Chaewon felt an urge to walk over to that tree. She did not try to fight it, letting the power take over her and lead her towards the tree.

So, step by step, Chaewon allowed her body to drag her towards the tree without a second thought. It was only then that Chaewon realized that she was barefoot, the feeling of the soft flowers and grass tickling her feet. When she felt wind dance across her skin and making her shiver, it was only then she realized that she was not in a winter sweater and sweatpants like before, but in long white flowing dress that had no sleeves and fit loosely on her body. 

When she made it to the tree after five minutes, and did nothing but look up at it. For an odd reason, Chaewon felt a connection with this tree and gained the need to touch it. As she dragged her fingers along the tree's bark, a warm tingling feeling filled her chest and made her smile uncontrollably.

Chaewon did not feel like herself at all. She like a whole new person, as if she was reborn, but she loved it nonetheless.

*"Chaewon..."*

Chaewon turned around when she thought she heard somebody call her name. But when she did, there was nobody behind her at all.

*"You're time has come..."*

After this was said, Chaewon felt delicate hands go over her eyes. The hands felt so warm and so familiar, but she did not know where. The voice was also the same from the before, but it sounded less distant.

The hands moved from eyes to her shoulders, which gently turned her around. When Chaewon was fully turned around, she was in awe of who she was looking at.

It was an older lady, who was probably a few inches taller than Chaewon. She could not see that lady's eyes, as it was covered by a white cloth, making it unable to tell her identity. The features Chaewon could see were here long grey hair that ended at her waist. Chaewon could not tell if she old or not, due to the lady's clear and smooth skin that made her look young and was a contrast from her grey hair color. The lady was also wearing the same dress that Chaewon was wearing, along with also being barefoot. 

"Who...Who are you?"

The lady chuckled and flashed a gentle smile.

"The voice you have been hearing since your youth. The one who has been guiding you since birth, without you realizing. The reason why you were having those dreams, and your having one right now."

"This is a dream?..." Chaewon questioned. "It feels so real..."

"Yes, it may. Magical influence can make any dream feel like reality." 

"So...if this a dream, then I'm sleeping right now?"

"Yes," The lady nodded. "You passed out at earlier. You currently are sleeping in bed, as your girlfriend carried you after you did."

"Girlfriend?..." Chaewon slowly repeated the word. "Oh, Hyejoo!"

"Yes, are you guys not girlfriends? I thought you two being soulmates would make it obvious."

"I don't know, I guess that we never made it official. I guess you could consider us as a girlfriends." 

The lady hummed and directed her attention above Chaewon, smile growing. Chaewon turned around to see what she was looking at, and noticed that she was looking at the sun above them.

"Isn't it beautiful?" The lady asked, voice laced in delight.

"Yes, but I just want to know..." Chaewon began. "Why is it always the sun?"

"What do you mean, young one?"

"Well, the first time it was mentioned was by you in my dream over a month ago. Then with my hybrid friend Jungeun, and then the lady named Sana was acting weird about it, then that cave.... It keeps being featured and I feel like it means something."

"It does. You are correct." The lady confirmed. "But you are not ready to learn the meaning. There are so much more things you must learn first before I tell you. The answer will make sense once you have the prior knowledge."

"That's exactly what Sana said- wait, you aren't Sana, are you??" 

"No, young one. Although, I know who you are referring to." The lady chuckled. "She is right though. There is so much more about you and the people around that you have to discover, places you have not yet seen, and history that you must be educated on. Once you do, you will figure out the answer on your own."

"Aw, okay..."

Even though she felt disappointed, Chaewon was anxious and excited to learn all that she needed to learn in order to solve this mystery.

"Hmm... It seems to be almost time for you to wake up." The lady noted.

Chaewon was about to ask how she knew this, but then noticed that the lady was gradually fading away, as well as the tree behind her.

"Wait! But I have so much more I want to know!"

"You will to be patient, young one. But before you wake up..." 

The lady placed Chaewon's hand on top of her left hand, while also placing her right hand on top of that same hand. Chaewon could feel a tingling sensation on her hand, like something was forming on it. The lady eventually pulled her hands back and revealed a small necklace that had configured on the palm of Chaewon's hand. It was golden with a white pearl pendant, which shimmered slightly in the sunlight.

"This is for you. Please protect it at all costs. It will help you throughout your journey. Do not give it or reveal to anyone besides your soulmate, because there are those who will steal or use it for their malicious purposes."

"I...I will." Chaewon nodded, clenching the necklace in her fists. "But.... Is this goodbye?"

"No, I will be back soon once the second stage of your transformation occurs." The lady reassured. "This is only the beginning, Chaewon." 

The lady placed her hands over Chaewon's eyes and kissed her on the top of her forehead. As soon as she felt the kiss on her skin, Chaewon felt her eyes grow heavy and started to feel drowsy. Her body was weak, as she felt herself succumbing to the sleepy sensation.

"Wait...."

Once more, everything went black.

***

"Wait!!"

Chaewon jerked forward and looked around the area rapidly. 

She was not in the valley anymore, but instead in her bedroom in the holiday house. Chaewon was also in bed, with Hyejoo sleeping peacefully beside her. 

*'What just happened?...'*

Chaewon was panting heavily, still trying to process what just occured. It felt so surreal, but somehow comforting at the same time? The lady she met seemed so familiar, even though Chaewon could not even see her identity. And then everything she said...just raised more questions than answers. But at least she had confirmation that "the sun" had a larger meaning.

Chaewon noticed the her fist was clenched, and opened her hand to reveal the necklace fr earlier.

*'Well, at least I know I'm not going crazy...'*

As Chaewon's eyes drifted from her right hand, she could something gold poking out from her sweater's sleeve. Curious, Chaewon pulled back her sleeve to see what it was. 

And what she saw was something she would have never guessed.

"What is that??" Chaewon screamed, making Hyejoo shoot up from the bed suddenly.

"What??" Hyejoo shouted from being startled out of her sleep. 

Hyejoo looked over at Chaewon, who was staring at her arm with horror.

"What's wrong, ba-"

Both of them sat their and stared at what was on Chaewon's arm. It was tattoo, with golden color, that stretched from right below Chaewon's wrist up until her elbow. It curled around the arm with different designs, but the most prominent one was the sun that was in the middle of it all on the inside of her lower arm. Just like the necklace, the tattoo also had a shimmer, as the sunlight from the window shone upon it.

"Hyejoo?... Why do I have tattoo??" Chaewon exclaimed, sounding terrified.

"Uh, I don't know! I'm as confused as you are!"

"But, a tattoo can't just appear! That's impossible!"

"Well, I mean, that's not the strangest thing I've seen, but I've never heard of anything like this with a human." Hyejoo said, taking Chaewon's arm and analyzing the tattoo's details. "But, it's beautiful! The detailing on this is perfectly! I would love to have a tattoo like this."

"But, I can't!" Chaewon protested. "My parents would be pissed if they saw me with a tattoo!"

"Chaewon, you're twenty three years old. You don't even live with them."

"Yeah, but when I go see them I can't have this!"

Chaewon tried to rub on the tattoo, silently hoping that it was just temporary or paint, but it was no use.

"Chaewon, calm down! It's not the end of the world!"

"I know but- why does is this stuff happening to me??" Chaewon exclaimed. "I mean when we went to the cave, and then yesterday when I passed out, and then the dream last night, and the necklace, and now-"

"Wait, what dream last night?"

"Oh yeah, well the mysterious voice continued." Chaewon began to explain. "But this time, I got to see the lady's face! Well, partially, her eyes were covered. But, then she told me that the sun thing had meaning and kind of implied that it was tied to me somehow? And then she told me about how I will learn about it when the time is right and when "transformation" was finished. And then, she gave me this."

Chaewon showed Hyejoo the golden necklace.

"She told me that only you could know about it, because people want to steal and use it wrongly. I don't know what it does, but it looks pretty. And then, she kissed me on the forehead and fell asleep. And then I woke up here."

"Wow...okay then." Hyejoo was speechless, while taking the necklace out of Chaewon's hands. "I guess we have another mystery to solve."

"But...what am I transforming to?" Chaewon asked. "The lady made it sound serious and significant, but I have no idea."

"I think that tattoo might be a part of that transformation, and maybe you passing out last night was the beginning of it." Hyejoo inferred. "We just have to wait and see. She did say it was the start of it, so we'll have to see what happens next. I think, in the meantime, we should go see that cave. Maybe it has some answers since everything weird started to happen from there."

"Okay... you're right. Sorry, I just got scared for a moment..."

"Don't apologise. I mean, if I was just a regular human two months ago and then all of this magic and mystery was piled onto me, I would be terrified too. But..." Hyejoo took Chaewon's hand into her own. "We have to do this together. Like Jinsoul and Jungeun said, we were bonded together with a purpose, and maybe this will be it. No matter what happens, let's keep each other close, okay? We don't know what's going to happen, but if we have each other, we can get through it."

"O-Okay! I promise." 

Hyejoo smiled. "Good."

Hyejoo put her hand under Chaewon's chin and brought her lips onto her own. They kissed for a few minutes and then pulled away, smiling uncontrollably and laughing breathlessly.

At least, through all of madness, she had someone like Hyejoo who made her feel grounded and safe. Maybe it was the soulmate thing, but Chaewon never complained. This was both the strangest and best thing to happen in her entire life.

"So, do you want to get the others now? While this is fresh on our minds..."

"Sure, but what time is it?"

Hyejoo looked at the digital clock that was next to her side of the bed, and saw the time "8:30 AM" illuminated on it. 

"I guess it's eight thirty."

"Should we wait an hour so they can wake up?"

"Nah. I know Jinsoul and Jungeun, so there is no way they're sleeping right now?"

"How do you know?"

Hyejoo sighed, as if she was cringing on a memory.

"Because, those two are "active" when they first wake up."

***

*Knock. Knock. Knock.*

"Jinsoul! Jungeun! I know you're awake!"

After a minute, the bedroom door was unlocked and Jinsoul opened it, looking annoyed and hair a mess.

"What?? Do you have to come and wake us up this early in the morning??" Jinsoul groaned.

"You weren't sleeping and we both know that." Hyejoo crossed her arms. "Besides, I can see Jungeun over there clearly without anything on."

"Fine, but that's none of your business." Jinsoul said sternly. "Now, what do you want?"

"Well, we wanted to show you guys something since we found a cave that was very odd." Chaewon explained. "We wanted to tell you sooner, but then a lot of stuff happened, and we almost forgot. And then, I passed out last night and then I had this dream...then this happened."

Chaewon showed Jinsoul her tattoo, which made Jinsoul stepped from being stunned.

"What... How is that possible?" 

"I have no idea! I just woke up and saw it..."

"And that dream....do you think it's tied to it? And that cave?"

"Yes, I'm very sure. We just need your help since you guys have more experience."

Jinsoul sighed and nodded, her eyes flicking between Chaewon's tattoo and her face.

"Okay. Jungeun and I will get ready and we'll go to that cave. We should probably bring Heejin and Hyunjin as well. Just give us twenty minutes."

"Okay, thank you!"

Jinsoul hummed and walked back to her room, shutting the door behind her.

***

"So, you guys just decided to take a walk out of nowhere and just so happened to walk into this forest, found a pegasus who took you to the random cave, with just so happened to be magical?" Heejin raised a eyebrow.

"Yes."

"AND that magical cave just so happened to have a design on the floor of a sun, which is ALSO the tattoo on Chaewon's arm, which is ALSO a part of her dreams, which is ALSO what Jungeun's prophecy said, which is ALSO what the crazy chic named Sana told you all about, which is then ALSO a part of the mysterious lady from her dream last night had said?"

"Yep." Hyejoo confirmed, as the six of them started into the forest. "I know it's far-fetched but it really happened."

"You two are just surrounded by coincidences, aren't you?" 

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Well it's a good coincidence." Hyunjin butted in. "This could be a breakthrough for our investigation!"

"What makes you say that?" Chaewon asked, curious as to why this had to do with it.

"It's just a hunch but I feel like this stuff happening all at the same time is far from a coincidence. I think they're connected somehow, I just don't know how yet. Maybe this cave and carvings will draw some connections." Hyunjin explained.

"I sure hope so." Jinsoul said, voice laced with drowsiness. "And that waking up this early was worth it."

"Trust me, it was a experience like no other!" Chaewon tried to describe. "It was... I felt...like I was possessed by a powerful magic. It felt so amazing but frightening as well."

"Well that certainly sounds like an incredible experience by the way you guys said it happened earlier!" Jungeun commented. "I can't wait to see!"

"Me too. It sounds really intriguing." Jinsoul added in.

The six of them walked for a she until they reached that familiar bench from when Chaewon and Hyejoo has first been there. 

Throughout their way there, the hybrids got to understand what Chaewon and Hyejoo were talking about with how peculiar the forest was. It did have a magical feeling to it, and the hybrids we're just as confused with how different it felt in the forest than outside of it. However, Hyunjin could not sense any of it.

"Guys, are you sure this is the right place?" Hyunjin asked, looking around skeptically. "Because this forest feels pretty normal to me."

"You don't feel it??" Heejin exclaimed. "This place feels all sorts of wack to me!"

"Well, I don't feel anything."

"I guess that just confirms our theory that humans can't sense the magic in this place." Hyejoo commented. "Besides, if humans could feel or sense it, then this would have been found ages ago."

"But Chaewon's a human." Jinsoul noted. "So how can that be true?"

"I guess that goes with MY theory that Chaewon is way more special than originally thought." Jungeun winked at Chaewon.

"That has to be true at this point." Jinsoul agreed. "I mean, I haven't met many humans in my life, but I know all this doesn't happen with just anyone. Add on top of that the soulmate thing, you are certainly not just a regular human by any means."

"But...that can't be true! I feel human... I think?" Chaewon tried to protest, but ended up giving up.

At this point, Chaewon believed it too. Even the lady from her dreams confirmed that theory. It was just hard to believe that Chaewon lived almost twenty years of her life as a normal person, and now all these strange ordeals keep happening all in the course of two months.

"We'll figure it out eventually." Hyejoo concluded. "Anyway, we have to find that pegasus that helped us last time. Her name is Soleil, and she guided us to the cave."

"Soleil?" Heejin repeated. "Doesn't that mean "sun" in French?"

"It does??" Chaewon exclaimed. "Well there's another link with the sun..."

"Wait, Heejin, how do you know French?" Hyunjin asked, shocked. "I mean, don't all hybrids speak one language?"

"I don't speak it, but I went to Paris once with Ryujin for like a week." Heejin explained. "She knows quite a bit of French, so I picked up a few words from her."

"Wait- you went to Paris without us??" Jungeun whined. "How could you-"

"Guys! Can we please stay focused?" Hyejoo called to attention, sounding annoyed. "We have to find her!"

"Where did you see her last time?" Jinsoul asked.

"Exactly this spot, but behind those bushes." 

Hyejoo pointed to the bushes behind the white bench.

"Maybe the little one is scared." Jungeun theorized. "Pegasi are usually shy creatures."

"Well, Heejin does look pretty terrifying." Hyunjin joked, face staying neutral.

"Hey!"

"Soleil!!" Chaewon called out repeatedly, hoping that the pegasus was around.

At first, there was no response, which made Chaewon lose hope. But to her luck, behind them, they could hear some shuffling in one of the bushes. 

Then suddenly, a creature jumped out of the bushes and slammed into Jungeun, making her fall on the ground.

"Woah!" Jungeun exclaimed as she hit the ground. She pulled her back up off the ground, trying to comprehend what just happened.

Soleil stood in front of her, jumping excitedly and licking Jungeun's face like a puppy. 

"Aw!! Such a cute baby!" Jungeun giggled, petting the pegasus excitedly. 

"So this is Soleil?" Jinsoul asked, still shook by the sudden occurrence. 

"Yes, this is her!" Chaewon responded. 

After the pegasus was finished with Jungeun, Soleil trotted over to Chaewon and began making joyful noises.

"Hey cutie! How are you?" Chaewon asked, running her hand through the creature's hair.

Soleil's noises got louder, as if she was trying to tell her something. Obviously, Chaewon could not understand her, but it was cute nonetheless.

"She said that she was fine and happy to see you and Hyejoo again!" Jungeun translated.

"You can understand her?" Chaewon looked in disbelief. 

"Yeah, I can understand all animals, including yours!" Jungeun affirmed. "And let me tell you, Nari is truly a gossiper! I learned so much about you for her!"

Chaewon blinked. "Uh-" 

"Anyway," Hyunjin changed the subject, and they looked at the creature in admiration. "So, pegasi are real..."

"Yeah, I've seen one once. They're usually so shy though. So, this one is certainly different!" Jungeun explained.

"Soleil?" Hyejoo got the pegasus's attention. "We're here to see the cave from last time. Can you take us there?"

Soleil nodded without another noise and started to trot slowly, motioning them to follow her. She seemed excited about something, and Hyejoo guessed they were about to find out.

They headed towards to their destination, with everyone being excited to see it. Another ten minutes, and they made to the cave and promptly went inside.

Making into the room, Jinsoul, Jungeun and Heejin stopped in their tracks when they saw the artwork on the cave floor. They had wonderment on their faces looking at the carvings, gazing at every detail. They walked up closer and just looked on with wide eyes and mouths gaped. 

Hyunjin, however:

"What are you guys looking at?" 

"Huh?" Chaewon tilted her head at her. "Don't you see the design on the floor?"

"No?..." Hyunjin replied, not understanding what she was supposed to be seeing. "I just see a cave floor, nothing else."

"So, it is true." Hyejoo concluded. "I guess humans can't see it." 

"Well, that would explain why it looks like this place hasn't been touched in centuries." Jinsoul commented. "Otherwise, humans would have destroyed this place."

"It has to have been made from our ancestors a long time ago." Jungeun added. "The designs were used a lot back then for tribes. Many of them wore designs like these as tattoos to show which tribe they were apart of, as well as putting on flags, personal items, and to mark territories. Obviously, after the war and the dimensions were created, they didn't need it since every tribe, or dragon type, has their own territory. So this has to be before the war."

"That would make sense." Heejin agreed. "But, I've never heard of sun symbol before."

"That's not even the weird part." Hyejoo said, walking closer to the symbol. "Watch this."

Hyejoo nodded at Chaewon, and both of them got in their places like last time. Chaewon stood on the eye in the middle of the sun, while Hyejoo placed her hand on of its ray, the one with the flame designs. 

The same event occured, with the illumination of red and yellow in the carvings that Chaewon and Hyejoo were touching or standing in the middle of. Following that, their eyes glowed, with Hyejoo's eyes being red and Chaewon's eyes being yellow. Then, the fire rose around Chaewon, making the others step back.

"Okay, I can see that, at least!" Hyunjin exclaimed, watching the fire in horror. 

"How is that...wow." Heejin stood there speechless.

"Now I know what they meant about it being an "experience"." Jinsoul noted, staring at the event.

Soleil came up to Jinsoul and nudged her, trying to get her attention.

"Hm?" Jinsoul looked at the creature.

Soleil made various noises before galloping over the a certain sun's ray, one with water droplet and wave designs. 

"She said she wants you to come over and touch it just like Hyejoo." Jungeun once again translated.

Jinsoul hesitantly walked over and followed the pegasus's instructions. As soon as she touched the ray, the carvings began to illuminate a blue color, starting from where her fingertips touched it up to the sun's center, where Chaewon was standing in the middle of. 

"Babe, your eyes are blue!" Jungeun exclaimed, gasping.

Even though Jinsoul could not see it, she still had a shocked expression from the whole experience.

Then, Jinsoul started to feel rain droplets falling on her skin and looked up to see that it began to rain. The rain had no source - not a rain cloud in sight - and did not extinguish the fire at all. The rain kept inside the space of the sun, falling Jinsoul, Chaewon and Hyejoo respectively.

"Wait a minute... I think I got it!" Heejin pondered before grabbing Jungeun's hand and bringing her over to another sun's ray with floral designs. "Touch this one!"

"Uh, okay!" 

Jungeun touched the designs, and just like the others, the designs glowed all the way up to the sun's center, but this time with a green color. Jungeun's eyes turned green as well. Then, all of a sudden, the cracks in the cave wall began to grow vines and flowers bloomed from it. 

"Wait, how is this happening?.." Chaewon managed to get out, still stuck in what was currently happening.

"I don't know how, but I think each of the rays represent each of our dragon types!" Heejin inferred. "Like, Hyejoo is a flame type, so she matched with fire designed ray. Or Jinsoul being aqua type, so she's matched with the water designed ray. And then what happens after is result of what the hybrid type's power is!" 

"I can't see the designs, but if that's the case..." Hyunjin began. "What would happen if you touched your own?"

"Well, there's one way to find out!"

Heejin touched the sun's ray with the curly wind-like designs and, just like it was predicted, both of the carvings and Heejin's eyes glowed purple. This time, everyone felt light winds blowing past them, which represented Heejin's power. 

Hyunjin looked on in amazement. Even though she couldn't see all of the artwork, she could see all the illuminated carvings and the effects of their actions. There was no definite explanation for how this was happening, at least not yet, but it was still a beautiful spectacle to see.

All of a sudden, the peacefulness was interrupted by a lightning bolt striking out of nowhere right in front of Chaewon. Chaewon then jumped back, out of the eye design, and onto the ground. All of the hybrids jumped back as well and removed their hands, causing everything to fade away and the cave was returned to its original state.

Everyone was panting, especially Chaewon, who was shaking from fear. Hyejoo quickly reacted and ran over to Chaewon, hugging her close and rubbing her back comfortingly. 

"Are you okay?? Are you hurt??" Hyejoo frantically asked, analyzing Chaewon's body to look for any injuries.

"No... It didn't hit me, thankfully..." Chaewon replied, still shaking and breathing heavily. 

Everyone looked at each other, with the same thought in everyone's mind:

'What the fuck just happened?...'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 12! This is pretty much the turning point of this book. A lot of new information, mysteries, and theories were brought to light, and now it's time to explore them. This chapter pretty much speaks for itself (and the last sentence is literally the summary of this chapter as a whole)! There's going to be a lot more questions and a lot more answers coming soon, but then also some things that seem like it can't be answered. Also, there's going to be a lot more discoveries about before the human-dragon war, Chaewon, Chaewon and Hyejoo's bond, the cult, and so much more! But, whatever happens, it always comes back to "the sun". 
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	13. 𝒊 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> now that i understood you more than before  
> i feel more sure of myself  
> but on the flip side  
> you whispered in my ear  
> and made a false feeling of security  
> i hope for my journey to be clear so  
> 𝒊 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

After the events in the cave, they still stunned and had a million thoughts run through their heads. But the most prominent thought was "why?". Why was all this happening? Why now? But then, HOW was it happening? Of course they knew that magic was mostly unexplainable, especially those that stemmed from ancient times. But, it did not help their situation that they could not even figure this out. They had so many things to figure out, such as the cult that Sooyoung said was responsible for all the attacks, the sun symbolism, Chaewon, and so much more they have yet to understand. 

The six of them all decided to keep everything that happened with the cave and Chaewon to themselves. Not only did they not want to stress or scare the others with this knowledge, but also because they did not want anyone outside their close friend group to know. The less people who knew, the lesser of a chance for it to get leaked. They needed to keep anything they knew from both hybrids who were apart of the cult and any human officials. Both sides are corrupt and could use this information for their own selfish reasons. The six women just wanted for everyone to get along and no one to get harmed. If they had to fix/solve this themselves, then so be it.

Getting back to the house, everyone except for Haseul was still sleeping. Haseul did not ask may questions, just wondering why they all looked shaken up. But they reassured her that they were all fine and Haseul just left it alone. Haseul was never the type to pry, which they were all thankful for in that moment.

This was their last day at the holiday house, so they all just mostly used it to relax. Kahei, Hyunjin, Chaewon, Yerim and Yeojin all had to go back to work on Monday, which was in three days, so they decided to not do much. Jiwoo and Sooyoung did not have to go back to acting job for a few weeks, so they just decided to use that time to rebuild their relationship. The rest of the day was very lax compared to the morning, so the memory of the event just moved to the back of their minds.

They got up around eight in the morning to get ready and pack their stuff so they could leave. When the vans arrived at ten thirty, they all quickly headed to their van so they could get the three hour ride over it. This time, they separated each other into each van differently. Hyunjin and Heejin switched vans with Jiwoo and Sooyoung, which allowed them along with Jinsoul, Jungeun, Chaewon and Hyejoo to discuss a few things. They waited until everything settled and they have been on the road for twenty minutes before talking about the situation.

"So, I was writing everything down that has been happening ever since you came." Hyunjin began, taking out a journal and opening it to a certain page. "And I think I have a theory."

"You were to come up with a theory through all that mess?" Heejin questioned, peeking at the open journal.

"Well, sort of. It could be wrong, but it's the most logical conclusion I got."

"Well, let's hear it!" Jungeun encouraged.

"Okay, so let's start from the beginning." Hyunjin pointed to one of the pages. "So, we began with all the attacks happening frequently, about one every other day. Then we had the biggest attack yet on the Times Square Mall, following that was Kahei. We figured out that it was close by to the SRPC. We concluded that they were planning on doing something with the SRPC. However, then we get to what Sooyoung said."

Hyunjin flipped the page and pointed to the next set of notes.

"Sooyoung had said that there are a lot of members in the cult. This could mean that the reason for these attacks being so frequent is because there are a lot of people to do it. I talked to Sooyoung, and she told that there was about a hundred people in the cult, so that is very likely. They could be collecting more members in order to make a larger impact. But, what is their larger purpose? Well, Chaewon, that's where you come in."

"Me?" Chaewon pointed to herself.

"Yes. Now, bare with me, this might seem confusing and also far-fetched. But, I have an explanation. So, I brought the book my grandfather gave me and I found something interesting. In the book, it had a lot of information on rebels, gangs, and cults back in the day. They would use many methods to raise their member count, including those involving non-consent. Herbs were often involved, and you want to know one of the plants that were the most common? The Wild Sun's Rose."

"Wasn't it that flower that made me attack you?" Heejin asked.

"Yes, exactly. The leaders of these cults would sneak these flowers in people's homes or would crush it into their food. When innocent hybrids smelled or ate it, it would have the same effect as on Heejin: turn them into a savage beast. It would cloud their common sense and would make them more susceptible to follow the cults motives. They would fight or attack humans for the cult leaders, without them having to get their hands bloody. The leaders would then guilt trip them by saying they would be punished or murdered for their crimes, and the only way to avoid punishment was to join and they would protect these hybrids. Or they would use them by manipulating them at their most vulnerable time by helping them out with their personal problems, which would lead for the innocent hybrid to be indebted to them and trust them so easily. These tactics were both used on Sooyoung, if you noticed."

"So, then, are you saying that that cult are still using the flower today to gain more members?" Jinsoul asked, trying to follow along.

"Yes, I am." Hyunjin confirmed. "Now, reading all of that got me thinking about two things. One was the cult's motives. Notice how they are targeting the SRPC, the home of experiments to able to tame and control hybrids. And then, I came up with two reasons as to why they're targeting them: One - they want to gain access to all of these taming methods so they can raise their member count. Or Two - they are hybrids of the cult already working there just to use these experiments. The more read, the more I realize that the cult's methods and the SRPC'S methods are very similar. Even though they both hate each other, the hybrids could use the SRPC for their benefits."

"But, I thought you said it was hard for anybody to work there?" Hyejoo asked. "How could they even get in?"

"I don't know, but my guess is that it's because of the amount of members and the connections that could lead to. But, I have no definite answer." Hyunjin answered. "But then the second thing...Chaewon. Everything involving the sun is connected to you. So, clearly the sun represents you somehow. Then I thought of the "Wild Sun" part of the flower and what happened two days ago, and then I realized something."

Hyunjin flipped the page again, revealing a picture of a sun with six rays. In each of the rays, it had the name of each dragon type - flame, aqua, fauna, wind, death, frost (in that order). In the center of the sun, there was a question mark.

"So, I think the sun is a symbolism for a higher being. Heejin, you describe that each ray represented each type of hybrid. And then, we have the center, which seemed to be activated by Chaewon. The sun is the center and was causing all those occurrences to happy with the circle of fire, or the rain and so on. If we take into consideration what Sana said about being careful of the sun and Chaewon's dream about the voice two months ago and now, that means the sun is something to be feared or something that seems to be above everyone. I have reason to believe that the sun is some kind of ruler of our worlds. But then, Jungeun, you told me about that prophecy about the red sun. The Wild Sun's Rose was also red. So what if... the sun might have some sort of dark side? The phrase "red sun" means to represent a tragedy, a bad omen, or even death. And since anything that puts red and sun together.... I don't know, that part I'm still investigating. But...and this is the crazy part."

Everyone looked at her expectedly.

"What if the sun isn't just a symbol...but a person? Or, more specifically, people?"

"Like, a race of people?" Jinsoul tried to comprehend.

"Yes! But then, what if they're... hybrids too?"

"What?" Jinsoul looked at her with disbelief. "That's not possible. There's always been talk about six dragon types."

"I know, but it makes sense! Think about it, the sun in the cave, each of the rays represented each type, right? Well, what if the sun's center is supposed to be this overall ruler of all of them, or has a combined power of all of the types?" Hyunjin theorized. "And, say if that were true, then what if that's what Chaewon is supposed to be? Chaewon is tied to this "sun", so maybe then she is a..."

"A... hybrid?" Chaewon finished, pondering on the last word.

"That.... I don't know." Hyejoo said, trying to figure out how she felt. "I mean, it's a possibility, I guess, but if that were true then how come we've never heard of another type before? Also, we would be able to sense if Chaewon was a hybrid, but she doesn't strike me as one."

"I could believe it." Heejin said. "I mean, it's really the best explanation we've got so..."

"I think we just need more evidence!" Jungeun noted. "But, everything else you said, I would say that it's true."

"That's why we need to talk that Sana girl and see what she knows." Hyunjin concluded. "Based on what you guys said, she seems to know a lot about this stuff and might have explanation. So, as soon as we get back home, we need to go find her."

"You guys said she works at the retirement home, right?" Jinsoul looked at Chaewon and Hyejoo.

"I mean, she was volunteer there, not actually a worker. She's probably not there right now." Hyejoo replied, shrugging.

"Well, it's worth a try anyway." Hyunjin said. "Even if she's not there, I'm sure someone there knows her whereabouts. Sana is the only one we can ask since Chaewon's dreams are inconsistent."

"Alright, then it's settled." Jinsoul said sternly. "We will go to that retirement home via the bus, looks for her and hopefully get her to answer some of our questions."

"But..." Chaewon looked at them worriedly. "If I was a hybrid, then...why is it being brought up now? I mean, I used to feel like a normal person. It never clicked with me that I was anything more than a human. Even when I was younger, when the voice came up, I just thought it was a weird dream, but nothing more. And now, all of these possibilities is being thrown onto me. I just, don't know..."

"I understand that this might feel foreign to you, especially when you've lived a normal life." Jungeun sympathized. "But don't worry. We are not going to rest until we find out what's going on with you and everything else that seems unexplainable."

"And, we will have to keep an eye on you and what this "transformation" is about. If we have to protect you at all costs, then we will. I have a strange feeling about this and I don't like it." Hyejoo added, holding Chaewon's hand. 

"This is just getting weirder by the day...." Heejin sighed. "To think, we came here thinking we were just finding a small gang and stopping them from harming more humans and making humans hate us even more. And now, we have all of this information that's being thrown in our faces, finding out a place possible new hybrid type, learning that the small gang was actually a large cult, and all of us becoming attached to people we never thought we would have a relat- interest in."

"Yeah, like I never expected to have a soulmate, but here we are and I'm happy." Hyejoo agreed, looking at Chaewon lovingly. "And you and Hyunjin don't hate each other anymore, so that's cool."

"Wh-What makes you think we don't hate each other?" Heejin asked.

"I don't know, you guys hang out a lot and just act strange, but in a kinda sweet way?"

"Plus, you really can't seem to keep your hands to yourself around Hyunjin, can you?" Jungeun teased, making Heejin and Hyunjin look at each other awkwardly.

"We...get along." Hyunjin simply replied. "And I think us living together helped us know each other better and we don't hate each other anymore. I don't mind spending time with Heejin, even when she's annoying. I think we're just used to each other and now I like her a lot more."

"Well that's good. I'm glad you guys like each more. At least some good came out of this mess." Jinsoul smiled gently.

Heejin chuckled stiffly. "Yeah..."

They all ended the conversation there and decided to rest and collect their thoughts. Chaewon and Hyejoo fell asleep next to each other, and Jinsoul was using her phone to watch a movie with Jungeun. 

At first, Hyunjin was reading and minding her own business. But, every once in a while, her eyes would wonder and she would find herself staring at Heejin, was sleeping peacefully in the seat next to her. Then she would think about the conversation earlier. 

Clearly, she and Heejin's relationship had improved. Even when they bickered, it was all light-hearted in the end. They were actually a lot closer than they looked, but they did not want the others to know that. When they were alone, the two of them were very affectionate - not able to keep their hands to themselves and sneaking quick kisses. 

They were a lot more relaxed though about keeping the current status of their relationship a secret. Maybe because Heejin was already a very touchy person and always made sexually charged jokes. So, just like with Kahei the other day, no one really thought twice about it. 

After this was all over, Hyunjin was planning on really developing their relationship, maybe even moving to the next level. But, right now, everything was too hectic so she would have to be patient. At least they were now comfortable with one another, and that was the important thing.

After three hours, they made back into the city. Chaewon had called Jiwoo and asked her if the van driver could drop them off at the retirement home without then having to take the bus. Jiwoo said it was fine and Chaewon asked the van driver about it, who had complied. They made it to the retirement home not long after and got out the van speedily like thanking the driver.

"Alright, let's go inside and hope that Sana is there." Hyunjin said, walking over the front door.

They all walked inside and headed to the reception desk.

"Hello ma'am." Hyunjin got the receptionist's attention. 

"Hello! How may I help you? Are you here to visit a family member?" The receptionist asked, smiling respectfully.

"No, I'm here to see one of your volunteers named Sana. Is she here?"

"Ah, sorry, you just missed her." The lady apologized. "She came in to complete a few tasks and then left about thirty minutes ago."

"Do you know where she might be at this time?"

"Yes, Sana did say she was going home. Are you friends of hers?"

"Well, her and I have met her a few times." Hyejoo said, pointing to Chaewon. "We aren't close, but I'm sure she'd want to see us."

"Well, let me give her a call and see if she was willing to meet with you guys." The receptionist pulled out her phone and started to dial.

"Thank you so much, ma'am!" Chaewon said with gratitude.

After a few rings, the call went through.

"Hello? Yeah, Sana!" The lady began. "I've got six women here who said that have to see you. Two of them said you guys know each other and their names are..."

"Chaewon and Hyejoo." Hyejoo responded, pointing to each other respectively.

"Chaewon and Hyejoo." The lady repeated back to the phone. "Yeah, okay great! Where can they meet you?... Your address? Oh, okay! Just tell me and I'll give it to them."

The receptionist took a sticky note and a pen to write down the address.

"Okay, I'll tell them! See you Monday!" 

She hanged up the phone and handed Hyunjin the sticky note with information.

"Alright, Sana said to come and see her at her house. The sticky note has the address on it!"

"Oh wow, thank you!" Chaewon smiled.

"You're welcome! Good luck!"

***

Surprisingly, Sana did not actually live very far from them. Taking the bus, they realized she actually lived in the same apartment complex as Chaewon, which shocked them. They knocked on the door of apartment room and were immediately greeted by Sana, hair dripping wet and a long robe.

"Hey! Sorry, I was in the shower!" Sana greeted with a smile. "Come in!"

The six women walked into Sana's place, bowing and shaking her hand in respect. Entering, they noticed how empty the apartment looked. It was sparkly clean, like nothing had ever been touched, and there was barely any furniture and decorations.

"Please make yourself at home. I will pull out some chairs for you all." 

Chaewon and Hyejoo sat down on the bigger couch, while the others sat in the chairs that Sana pulled out. Sana sat in the smaller couch and faced them. 

"So, first things first, I see four new faces so let's do some introductions!" Sana suggested.

"Oh well, I'm Jinsoul." Jinsoul began, pointing to everyone. "This is my wife, Jungeun, and my two friends Heejin and Hyunjin. We're all close friends of Chaewon and Hyejoo."

"How nice! I'm Sana, and I'm sure your two friends told you a bit about me."

"Yes, because we have questions." Hyejoo said. "A lot of stuff happened this past week and we need some answers. You seem to know a lot so we're wondering if you could help us."

"Well, I'll certainly try my best! Ask me anything."

"Okay, well first..." Chaewon started the conversation. "I remember you said something about things transforming on New Year's Day. A lot happened that day and I fainted. Then I had this strange dream with this woman and then I woke up with this..."

Chaewon pulled back her sleeve and showed Sana the tattoo. Sana looked at it, examining the details for a while before grabbing Chaewon's arm and tracing them. 

"How fascinating..." Sana said with awe. "She really went all out with this one."

"She?"

"Yes, "she"." Sana confirmed. "But, back to the fainting, that is normal. Your body is not used to handling that amount of power at once. You have not had any magical experience, so that is to be expected. The dream was the first step of your transformation, with more to come as the situation escalates."

"But, what transformation?"

"And, does it have something to do with that sun symbolism that keeps popping up?" Hyunjin asked in addition. "Because, while on vacation, we came across a cave that had this sun artwork. While we were there, there was this whole event where...well, let me just show you."

Hyunjin pulled out her phone and turned to a video. In the cave the other day, Hyunjin decided to record what happened, starting from when Heejin had activated her sun's ray, in case they needed to analyze it for later.

Hyunjin walked over to Sana and played the video. Sana stared at it, not saying a word, taking it all in. Once the video finished after a minute, with the lightning strike, Sana nodded to try and gather her thoughts. 

"Well, first off, it's good you guys pulled away once the lightning stroked, otherwise it would have turned out terribly." Sana began to say her thoughts. "This was something that was not supposed to be discovered. But, now that you did, I must stress to you to never do this again. This could have harmed Chaewon, both physically and mentally. This amount of power directed at someone who does not understand or has no experience could break her." This is tactic used by "special hybrids" during the war and has not been used since. This is only for those with a lot of knowledge on the subject, and you six are not ready."

"Yeah, we assumed based on the fact Chaewon almost got harmed." Jungeun agreed.

"Yes, but now I have a question. Which types are you guys?"

"Oh, well, I am a fauna type, Hyejoo is a flame type, Jinsoul is a aqua hybrid, and Heejin is a wind hybrid. Hyunjin and Chaewon are humans."

Sana looked at all of them until she stopped at Chaewon. She thought for a moment afterwards.

"Okay. Do you have friends of death or frost types?"

"Yes, both actually."

"Interesting..." Sana hummed. "Back to your original question, Hyunjin, yes it does. The sun is tied to the transformation, yes. However, it's not my place to explain any further. You just have figure it out in your own!"

"Ugh, why can't any tell us anything?? It would be so much easier..." Heejin groaned, crossing her arms.

"Some things are not meant to be said outright. You need know the "how" and "why" before I tell you the "what". You must learn the backstory so you can understand why this was done and what you are fighting for. Once you know that, then you will be ready. For now, you have to be patient."

"Fine..."

"Okay, but have you heard about the attacks?" Hyunjin asked.

"Yes, and I have a pretty good idea of who did it. But, right now, I'm just sitting back and watching who it develops." Sana replied. "Have you all come across anyone associated?"

"Uh...no."

That was obviously a lie. Not only did they know Sooyoung, but Hyunjin had met Yubin a few times as well. Sooyoung had a hard time even opening up to them about what she had been through due to her paranoia, so they wanted to respect that. With Yubin, however, Hyunjin just did not want to risk anyone finding out that she was still trying to investigate this. Yubin made it clear that she had the capability to hurt her and her friends, and that just was not something Hyunjin was trying to risk. Maybe once they were far along, to the point where they are about to fix the problem, then Hyunjin would say something.

It made Hyunjin realized that these cult members definitely had a way of manipulating people. Of course, all cults did, but Hyunjin never really understood it until now. 

"Okay, then I will just give you a synopsis about what this cult is capable of. It is important not to pass any information about what's happening with Chaewon to anyone. Any information could aid them in their malicious purposes, which is what we're trying to avoid. It is probably best to keep this conversation, what happened in the cave, anything about Chaewon and her bond with Hyejoo, and the sun symbolism just between us. We can't risk anything. Also, you must not try and intimidate them. They have a lot more power than they seem to us outsiders, and it's not safe trying to toy with it. If you come across any people you suspect are apart of the cult, don't say anything to them or try to handle the situation yourself. Tell us and we will handle it together."

"Understood." Jinsoul nodded sternly. "We will follow these rules."

"Good! Now, that's all for today!" Sana announced, standing up. "Time for you all go!"

"Wait, what?" Heejin looked at her confusedly. "But, we're not done!"

"That is all information you need for now! Once you all progress on your journey, then more will be revealed! Now, time for you to go!"

"Uh...okay?"

The six of them were not about to argue, since it was Sana's home after all and it would be rude. However, the abrupt end to their conversation made them feel disappointed since they were hoping to get all the answers, especially Hyunjin and Chaewon. But hopefully, as Sana said, the next time they visit will have more clues would be revealed. That is, if there was a next time.

"When will we see you again?" Chaewon asked as they walked out of the door.

"You can see me anytime! Here, let me give you my phone number."

Chaewon took out her phone and Sana entered her phone number.

"Call me when you find something new or anything strange happens." Sana explained. "But, you'll probably find me again a lot sooner than you might think."

"Ah, okay! Thank you!" Chaewon smiled graciously. "See you next time."

Sana said farewell and promptly closed the door. Everyone stood there, gathering their thoughts over what they just heard.

"So...what now?" Heejin asked. "I mean, she said we have to "progress on our journey" before we can learn more. But how do we do that?"

"Well, Chaewon is supposed to be going through some transformation so maybe that's part of it." Hyunjin pondered. "Other than that, we just have to see what happens and deal with it as it comes."

"We'll just have to go with that. We have no other choice." Jinsoul agreed with a nod.

"Crazy how this situation just got so much more complex..." Hyejoo commented, sighing.

"I mean, that's why we came here in the first place. We wanted to learn more and now we do. We just need to get more clues and history, put everything together, and then stop this situation before it's too late."

"Who knows how long it take though..."

"Well, I think that since we have each other, this became a lot more easier to comprehend." Jungeun voiced her thoughts. "We all contributed something to every smidge of information we have up to this point, so that proves that we can do this. This may have taken more time if we were alone. Besides, no matter how long this takes, as long as we're progressing, than we will stop them."

"Anyway, how about we just go home and rest? There's not much we can do right now." Hyunjin suggested, which everyone nodded in agreement.

"Okay, well we're already here so-" Jungeun noted with a chuckle. "Chaewon's apartment is just a level up from here so I guess that's not a problem for us to get home!"

"Well, we better get going then." Hyunjin said. "I'll see you all soon."

They waved goodbye and Heejin and Hyunjin started to walk the opposite direction. The others started to head up the stairs to Chaewon's apartment.

"You okay, baby?" Hyejoo asked Chaewon, noticing the worry on her face. 

"Oh, yeah, I guess..." Chaewon sighed. "I guess I'm just scared. I don't know what's going on with me and I think I'm afraid to find out..."

"I know everything seems so... frightening. Especially since you didn't think you'd be involved with all of this. But, we'll get through this together. I will be right there with you throughout this whole journey, no matter what."

"Thanks..." Chaewon slightly blushed. "You're being so sappy lately..."

"Yeah, I'm not usually this disgustingly in love with anyone so I guess you just bring it out of me."

Chaewon's cheeks became more bright red, making Hyejoo laugh. Hyejoo thought it was adorable that she could make Chaewon blush with ease. 

"Man, you are cutest person I've ever met!" Hyejoo cooed, bringing her hands to Chaewon's face to pinch her rosy cheeks.

"Ya! Stop it!" Chaewon pouted, trying to act annoyed.

"You two are both cute and loathsome at the same time." Jinsoul rolled her eyes as she witnessed the scene before her.

"You are the exact same way with Jungeun, so you can't talk." Hyejoo smirked. "I had to live through that, so now this is karma."

"Whatever..."

"I think we're turning into a nice, big, happy family!" Jungeun hugged the everyone at once, bringing all four of them close. "Wouldn't you say, honey?"

Jinsoul groaned. "Unfortunately.."

***

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" 

"Yes, don't worry!" Jiwoo reassured, shutting the car door and continuing to speak to Sooyoung through the open window. "It will be quick, I promise! Plus, I've handled my parents for all my life, so I think I can handle a dinner with them. If my father is disrespectful, then I'll leave in a heartbeat!"

"If you say so..."

While on the ride home, Jiwoo got a call from her mother that she and her father wanted to have dinner and talk to her about something important. Jiwoo had not hint about what it was about, and frankly, she did not want to go. But, she would open-minded and go see them. If she did not like the conversation, then she would respectfully walk out. Sooyoung was worried, since Jiwoo seemed emotionally when it came to her father's actions and offered to join her as support. But Jiwoo declined, wanting to handle it on her own.

"Trust me, I'll be back in less than an hour! Just wait here, okay babe?"

"Fine..."

Jiwoo pecked Sooyoung on the lips to continue to reassure her, before waving farewell for now. 

Sooyoung looked at her walk into her house and could not help but feel anxious. Not only was Jiwoo's close-minded father in there, but Gahyeon as well. Jiwoo and Gahyeon actually did go out together for a few days, since Jiwoo and herself were still on no speaking terms. Sooyoung covered the fact that she angry very well. She was not jealous, since she knew that Gahyeon was teasing Sooyoung and no interest in humans. But still, Gahyeon just had the conniving look in her eyes that made Sooyoung feel uneasy and wondering if she was planning something.

Hopefully, though, it was all in her head.

***

"I'm glad that you decided to join us for dinner!" Jiwoo's mother thanked her daughter while sitting down at the table.

They sitting on the terrace at a table, with Jiwoo sitting on one side and her parents were on the other side. They had been quietly eating for the past ten minutes after greeting each other, which made Jiwoo a little nervous about why she was asked to be here.

"Well, you guys said you wanted to talk to me so of course I would." Jiwoo spoke bluntly, looking down at her food. 

"At least my daughter has the respect to do that." The father said sternly, hostility in his tone.

"Dear, let's just get to the point. There is no need to be belligerent." The mother suggested, trying to lift the mood.

"Fine." The father set his silverware down and cleared his throat. "Jiwoo, we have to talk about your future."

"What about it?" Jiwoo asked, slightly fearful about her father means. "I already have my future planned out. I have a career, my own place and a girlfriend. There's nothing to discuss."

"Your current job is not going to sustain you into your old age. You need a career that maintain a constant flow of wealth. That is why we have to talk."

"Sweetie, we just want you to have the best future possible." The mother tried to reason. " So, we were wondering..."

"That you would take over our business."

"Well, not the whole business as of yet, but work with us until it's time for us to retire." 

"What?.."

Jiwoo's parents had a ton of small businesses over the country related to technological advances. They were one of the most wealthy families in South Korea, ever since Jiwoo was born. They had mentioned before to Jiwoo that they wanted her to work with them, however Jiwoo always declined. Jiwoo always dreamed of becoming an actress since she was young girl. She never wanted that rich fancy life, but one that is more laid back. In addition, she was never business savvy enough to have run a company, let alone work there.

"Jiwoo, this is a family business." The father started to explain. "Ever since you were born, we envisioned you running it. This was meant to be passed down for generations. Your grandparents on my side ran it, we are, and soon it will be your turn. Now is the time for you to start learning."

"Father, I've already told you many times, I'm not interested in business." Jiwoo sighed. "I'm sorry but I can't spend my life with a career I have no interest. I'm sure you and grandfather worked hard, and success deserves to praised, but I just can't follow in your footsteps. I always wanted to be an actress and for the past few years, I have been living that dream. I enjoy it with all my heart and couldn't imagine my life without it. I understand you want to keep your company going with me, but maybe you should give it to someone more qualified or another family member. But I just can't be a part of it, I'm sorry."

"Jiwoo, you can't compare a multi-million dollar business to a petty little dream. Once you reach your forties, you will need a more stable flow of a cash. My business will provide you wealth for the remainder of your life. That actress salary is mediocre compared to what my company can provide. You need to wake up and realize that you are worth more than that!"

"See? That's what you don't understand!" Jiwoo protested. "I don't care if I'm not as wealthy as you are! I don't need a huge mansion or a bunch of maids and butlers to be content with my life. My current career is what makes me happy! My friends are what makes me happy! My girlfriend is what makes me happy! With all due respect, I don't need your business for me have "worth". I perfectly satisfied to how my life is now."

"You are wasting your life away on trivial and ludicrous matters! And this is something that I have been wanting to tell you since you left home but you're lucky that your mother is protective of you, otherwise I would have slapped you over the head for what you're doing!" The father rose his voice and slammed his fist against the table. "First, despite us forbidding you from auditioning for that entertainment, you go anyway. Then, you go out and date females, which I expected to be a phase but unfortunately I was wrong. And finally, last time we met you tried to defend hybrids, the lowest piece of scum to ever exist. That, for me, was the last straw and I'm over it. This business will put you on the right track. You will be a part of the family business, end of discussion."

"How dare you." Jiwoo stood up from her seat and glared at her father. "You wonder why I don't want to be a part of it? Because I'll have to be around you all the time! I don't want anything to do with you! First of all, I am an adult, twenty four years old to be exact, and if I want to audition for something, I have every right to and you cannot tell me otherwise. Second of all, for the last time, I'm a lesbian. I am attracted to girls and I always will be! I will have a girlfriend, eventually marry her, spend the rest of my life with her! It is not a phase and I've been telling you this since I came out to you when I was thirteen. And finally, how dare you say that about them! Hybrids are just like us, barely any difference! They are just part dragon, which is irrelevant. Yes, there are some criminals running around that are hybrids, but humans are just as bad! We can't label all hybrids as degenerates when only a tiny percentage are! You working with the SRPC really hurt me! You are working with a business who openly harms and discriminates hybrids, which you don't care about! You just care about money and nothing else, not even the happiness of your own daughter!"

Jiwoo started to walk away, tears starting to stream down her face.

"Wait, Jiwoo!" The mother called out. "Let's talk about this-"

"No, mother! There is nothing else to discuss!" Jiwoo called back as she was opening the door. "I am NOT going to be apart of your business and that's final!"

Jiwoo walked back into the mansion, slamming the door behind her.

Jiwoo was not surprised that her father wanted her join their company, since he had been pestering her about since she entered high school. But the fact that he insulted her career and lifestyle, her sexuality, and her beliefs just was the final straw for her. Jiwoo did not know the next time she would see her parents again, but for now, she just wanted to leave and avoid them at all costs. 

"Hey, Jiwoo?"

Jiwoo stopped running when she heard and saw Gahyeon. She was standing there, like she had been waiting for Jiwoo, and leaning against the wall.

"Jiwoo, why are you crying?" Gahyeon asked, standing up straight and wiping away Jiwoo's fresh tears.

"It's my father..." Jiwoo sniffled. "He's just so disrespectful and doesn't understood me at all! He wanted me to be a part of his business, but I told him that I'm not interested. Then he started to criticize everything about me and... I just couldn't sit there and take it! And then my mother just sat there and didn't defend me at all! I'm just tired of it..."

"You know that's how your father is. He's stuck in the past and always thinks his way is the best. He's a piece of shit old man, and even his staff knows that. But don't let that get you upset and ruin your mood. You are way better than him and are so much of an actual human being. Trust me, I would've be here in Seoul if it wasn't for you. You make me stay here."

"Thanks, Gahyeon..." Jiwoo smiled. "This is what I needed. What would I do without you?"

Gahyeon hugged her briefly. 

"Now, back to the business thing." Gahyeon said as she pulled back. "I'm not saying you should join it, but maybe you can use it your benefit..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well...you remember how he said that he invested in the SRPC? You know that place is fucked up, but no one knows the extent of it. You want to help hybrids, right?"

"Of course! More than anything!"

"Then, let me tell how you can help." Gahyeon brought Jiwoo close and started to whisper in her ear. "On Monday, your parents will be taken on a tour of the SRPC's building to see how it functions and discuss future endeavors. I overheard them wanting to bring you along to try and "change your opinion". If you at least say that your interested, then they'll bring you along and you can investigate. You have the potential to expose these people, to bring justice to hybrids. I am a part of my own smaller organization that has a goal of exposing these companies. Once we bring it to the government, it will be a huge win for hybrids everywhere. You would be hero, and you get to avenge all the hybrids who have suffered under the power of the SRPC. So, will you do it?"

"Of course! But, how will I be able to convince them I'm interested?"

"Just say you thought about it and say that you would be willing to take part. You don't have to full-on lie and say that you are fully committed. Just show that you have interest."

"Oh, okay... I'll do it tomorrow!" Jiwoo decided. "But you really think it will work?"

"Of course I do." Gahyeon affirmed, putting a tight grip on Jiwoo's shoulder from behind while leaning in close. "You just have to trust me. You do trust me, right Jiwoo?"

"Duh! We've been friends for years! I trust you with my life!"

"Great."

The two of the hugged once more and Gahyeon told her all the details she would need to record. Obviously, Jiwoo couldn't take pictures or videos, since that was forbidden and hard to cover up. But, Jiwoo just needed to make a mental note and report it back to Gahyeon as soon as possible. It seemed like a solid plan, and Jiwoo was ready to execute it. She really wanted to help all hybrids, especially Sooyoung.

After Sooyoung told her about the cult and how she was manipulated by it, Jiwoo felt angry about the with the whole situation. She was tired of hybrids suffering and would do anything to help them. So, if Jiwoo could by doing why Gahyeon said, them she would gladly do it.

As Jiwoo waved goodbye as Gahyeon led her out the mansion, she felt hopeful for the future.

However, Jiwoo was so happy that she did not notice Gahyeon watching walk away, with largest smirk on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 13! This chapter was basically the set up for the main plot for the remainder of this story! The chapters from now on will be mostly focused on these two storylines brought up in this chapter. There will be some side plots, including a Yerim (and a bit of Yeojin) one, which will tie into the Jiwoo storyline, Sooyoung being a lot more involved from now on, and Haseul and Kahei plot line that I won't spoil ;). You can tell that the next chapter will focus mostly on Jiwoo and the SRPC. This is the first time you all will get to see more of Jiwoo by herself and get to see how she thinks and reacts to difficult situations. Overall, she just has a big heart and you all get see that! ♡
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments below!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	14. 𝒊 𝒂𝒎 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can see it all over your face.  
> I can see the tremble in your eyes as tears fall.  
> I can hear your ear-piercing screams.  
> I can feel your convulsions in my arms.  
> I wish I can tell you that everything will be okay.  
> Because I will find the source of your pain.  
> I only do this due to the fact  
> 𝒊 𝒂𝒎 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

Yerim breathed a sigh of relief as she set down her paintbrush into the cup of water. She stood up from her stool, took a step back, and looked at her canvas with a contented gaze.

Yerim had been working all day in her art studio, trying to recreate an idea that had lingering in her mind since the previous day onto a canvas. Yesterday, she had a dream about herself and Yeojin, sitting on the ground of a grassy hill at nighttime while looking up at the starry sky. It was random, however the image of her and Yeojin cuddled close, with the stars shining down on them and putting them it the spotlight, with the wind lightly blowing was just a piece of priceless art to her.

So, she decided to actually turn it into art.

Yerim got to the studio at about eight in the morning to get to work. She knew it would take hours and maybe even a couple days, due to the immense details and the size of the canvas. But, Yerim was willing to put in the time and effort into making the art piece. She had not been this motivated in months to paint, so she was not about to cut any corners. Maybe this could even be another gift to Yeojin, or an artwork that could be hanged up in their apartment. Yeojin already put up the portrait Yerim painted in her room, which made Yerim's heart flutter with glee. Maybe this one could be hung in the hallway or near the doorway, who knows?

Right now, Yerim was still working on the night sky. It had taken her almost three hours, with still some time to go. Yerim did not take a break once, too eager for this artwork to start coming together. She paid immense attention towards every move she made, making sure the painting replicated her dream exactly. 

Yerim was about to get back to work, picking up her paintbrush, but then felt a grip on her shoulder. She jumped slightly but then jerked around to see Hyojung standing there with a gratified gaze.

"I see that you've gotten your inspiration back." Hyojung commented. "Did you finally confess to Yeojin?"

"Wh- How did you know?" Yerim looked at her with widened eyes.

"Remember when you said that Yeojin was your biggest inspiration?" Hyojung asked. "Well, I figured since you came in early and haven't stopped working since that something must have happened between you both."

"Well, you're right!" Yerim had a massive smile on her face while she recalled the blissful memory. "I confessed to her on Christmas and she said yes! Now we're dating, isn't that cool??"

"I'm so proud of you, Yerim." Hyojung remarked. "I'm glad you built up the courage to tell her. I can already see it's having a positive effect on you. You're smiling more frequently and appear to have your passion back for art."

"Thank you Hyojung! I feel so much more jovial and my life just has a new meaning! I went out on a date with Yeojin on Saturday and it was so fun! Although, I realized that we pretty much already acted like we were dating, just now it's official! I think I should just call her my girlfriend at this point."

"You should! You've guys have known each other for almost two decades! I think you guys know each other enough to just skip to the girlfriends title."

"Okay, I'll talk to her about it!"

"Great! Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to go out for lunch? Just for an hour break and then you can come back to finish." 

Yerim glanced between the painting and Hyojung. She was keen on finishing at least the night sky, but Yerim was starting to feel hungry for a bite to eat. Besides, an hour would not hurt.

"Sure! Let's go!"

As the two artists walked out of Yerim's studio, Yerim caught a glimpse of something flashing at the corner of her eye. She turned to her right to see a door slightly ajar. Trying to look inside at a distance, Yerim could see some paint being thrown at what appears to be a canvas. She could not see who was in the studio into she saw a taller purple hair female, a darker shade of Yerim's hair, with eyes fixed on the canvas. 

"Ah, I guess you've now seen Minji." Hyojung commented, looking through the door as well. 

"Is she new?"

"Yes, she joined last Thursday while you were gone. Minji has been working for day to night on it, sometimes I have to force her to leave. She does more abstract paintings, but they are really good. One thing is for sure, she has a passion for art!"

Yerim hummed while still staring at Minji. She did not know why but Yerim had a small interest in this woman. Something about her screamed familiar and always someone she should keep an eye on.

Minji's eyes finally met with Yerim's, and her face immediately became cold. She walked up to the door and, without saying a word, shut the door forcefully. It made Yerim step back, shocked at how rude the action was.

"What was that for?" Yerim asked, feeling offended.

"Don't take it personally. She's just very reserved, and a bit shy. Minji did that to me a few times, so I just don't get offended by it."

"Well, she could at least say hello..."

"Not everyone is like that, Yerim." Hyojung giggled. "Some people are more quiet and not as social as you. Besides, I'm sure you'll meet her again and get her to socialize with you knowing her talent."

Yerim had always been a social butterfly. She had the ability to make even the shyest people open up to her. But, Yerim did not know if her talent would work on this girl.

"Are you coming?" Hyojung asked as she was walking to the steps.

"Oh yeah!"

Yerim took one last glance at the door and reluctantly followed Hyojung.

Yerim was going to make it a mission to learn about Minji, and she was not going to stop trying until it happens.

***

Jiwoo was sitting in the back of the car, texting Gahyeon. She had been in the car for about thirty minutes, as her and her parents were driving to the SRPC building. 

Jiwoo had followed Gahyeon's advice and talk to her father the next day. She had told her father how she would be willing to learn about the business to see if she would want to help run it. Her father still sounded angry but wanted to use this opportunity to show Jiwoo was she was "missing out on". So, like Gahyeon had told Jiwoo, her parents invited her to see the SRPC. They seemed pretty adamant about forcing their close-minded beliefs about hybrids onto her, which Jiwoo felt highly disgusted about. However, Jiwoo bit her tongue and kept her mouth shut, so she did not cause another conflict. The last thing she needed was for them to back out on allowing Jiwoo to come with, especially since she had gotten this far.

In addition, Jiwoo was eager to get inside the building and see what was going on. She knew how fucked up the company was, but now she would witness it up close. It would probably be the only time Jiwoo would get to do this, so she had to be vigilant and make a mental note about anything she sees. Hopefully, this would assist all hybrids all over the world and not of this world, especially her own girlfriend.

Speaking of her girlfriend, Jiwoo had a hard time getting Sooyoung off her back. When Jiwoo had to leave, Sooyoung was suspicious about where she was going. Jiwoo had to lie, telling her she was going out with Chaewon for a few hours, which Sooyoung ended up buying. Jiwoo realized that she was being a hypocrite, since she had been bugging Sooyoung for months to stop hiding things from her. But Gahyeon said that she had to keep this plan between the two of them, as to not risk what any information leaking out to the wrong people. Even though she trusted Sooyoung, Jiwoo wanted to respect her friend's wishes. 

Eventually they had reached the building and drove into the garage, and Jiwoo's excitement and fear grew immensely. She was excited to finally get to expose what was going on, but also was fearful about what she find. Jiwoo had no regrets, just persistence to go through with the plan. 

"We finally made it!" The mother announced, stretching her limbs as she got out of the car. "Jiwoo, are you excited?"

"Yes, mother, I am!" Jiwoo said confidently because she actually was.

Just not in the way her parents think.

"You better be." The father slammed the car door. "This is the first time you get to see a real business in action. I expect you to pay close attention since you will have to run your own business in few years."

"Of course!" Jiwoo smiled stiffly.

*'Oh, I will be paying close attention..'*

Walking into the building, Jiwoo expected this place to filled with workers. However, there was barely near the doorway - only a long hallway leading up to the front desk. The only person they saw was a secretary sitting at the front desk. When she noticed the family walk in, the secretary immediately jumped out her chair and bolted over to greet them.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Kim! Welcome to the SRPC! I hope you had a safe ride!" The secretary said, bowing and shaking Jiwoo's father's hand.

"Yes, it went smoothly thank you." 

"Wonderful news!"

The woman turned to Jiwoo and shook her hand eagerly as well.

"And this is our daughter Jiwoo!" The mother said. "She's just hear to witness your business in action!"

"Oh, that's nice!" 

Jiwoo examined the woman earnestly. The secretary looked the same age as her, maybe even younger? They were around the same height as well. The woman was wearing a black suit with matching small heels, and a tight ponytail that slightly pulled back her face. Jiwoo had expected all employees here to look cold and heartless, but this woman looked the complete opposite. She had a large grin on her face and looked nervous. It was really cute, honestly.

As Jiwoo's parents had walked off somewhere, the two of them were left alone and Jiwoo felt the urge to learn about this girl.

"What's your name?" Jiwoo asked as they shook hands.

"Oh, me?" The secretary pointed to herself, surprised by the question. "Oh, my name is Choi Jisu, although most of my friends call me Julia or Lia. It's completely up to you, ma'am!"

"Oh, don't call me ma'am! Just call me Jiwoo! We look to be the same age anyway!"

"Well, I'm twenty-three so-'

"And I'm twenty-four so I was right!" Jiwoo announced proudly. "Besides, I have a lot of younger friends, especially ones who are your age, and I don't expect them to treat me as anything special!"

"Oh... okay!"

"I'll just call you all three! They all sound like cute names!"

"Oh, sure!" Jisu smiled graciously. "Anything you want!"

"I have a question: how long have you been working here?" Jiwoo asked curiously. "You seem a little nervous and too young to be working here."

"Oh, not long. Just, like, a month ago?" Jisu responded. "The CEO of this place is my uncle and booked me a job here. I didn't really want it, since I've always had other dreams, but my parents begged me so I gave in."

"But, you're an adult! You can't let your parents dictate your life!"

"Well, I pretty much had no choice..." Jisu sighed. "I used to live in Canada, but I moved here to live out my dream of becoming an idol. It was all going great - I had my auditions and was preparing to debut in a group. However, the entertainment company fell on hard times and eventually filed for bankruptcy. Then, just like that, they had to shut it down and I was without a future career. I figured that since I'm twenty-three and most idols debuting around now are no older then twenty, I thought I had no chance. So, just so I didn't have to leave to go back to Canada, my parents said that I should work here. So, I just gave in...."

"Wow, I'm so sorry..."

"No need to feel bad for me! I mean, I have a great salary so that's good! Besides, I have a hybrid girlfriend who comes here now and again, so I'm not alone. I guess I should be grateful that I'm not broke or living back with my parents."

"Yeah but I bet you'd make a great K-POP idol! You just had some bad luck, but it's never too late!" Jiwoo stressed, trying to encourage the woman. "You could always give it another shot! This is your dream, and you shouldn't let one stroke of bad luck get in the way of that!"

"I know I could try again, but I just don't have the passion to. This is much easier to deal with anyway so I just accepted that this was my life..."

Jiwoo frowned when Jisu said this. Nobody she lose passion for something that wanted to do. Everyone was allowed to live their own life, as long as they were not hurting anybody. Jisu deserved to become an idol, just like Jiwoo deserved to continue her acting job. It was frustrating that parents were so adamant about forcing their children to follow their own selfish dreams, instead of encouraging them to follow their own.

"You mentioned that you had a hybrid girlfriend..." Jiwoo emphasised. "Does that mean you don't hate hybrids or anything?"

"No, I honestly love them! They seem so fascinating, so I would never want to hurt them! Besides, my girlfriend is the nicest person I've ever met and always encourages me no matter what I do."

Well, at least Jiwoo had one sensible person she could talk to in this building.

"Jiwoo, the tour is starting!" The mother called out from around the corner. "You better hurry up!"

"Okay mother!" Jiwoo called back before turning back to Jisu. "Can you come with us?"

"No, I have to run the front desk." Jisu said apologetically. "We're expected more investors to visit today, so I have to be ready to greet them!"

"Oh..." Jiwoo sounded disappointed. "But, I'll see you when I'm done?"

"Of course!" Jisu smiled. "I'll be right here the whole day, so whenever you're done, just come over!"

"Great! I'll see you later!"

Jiwoo was appreciative that she met someone as kind-hearted and receptive as Jisu. At least she could trust one person here, as Jiwoo expected everyone who worked here to be old and disrespectful. Even if the majority of the employees are, at least it was not everyone.

***

When Jiwoo got back to her parents, she got to meet the CEO. Where Jisu was the opposite of her expectations, her uncle was the exact replica of them - tall, looking to be in his late forties (maybe even in his fifties), and grumpy looking, very similar to Jiwoo's father. In addition to that, it was not hard to tell the CEO's opinion on hybrids. Based on the hateful remarks and the hostility in his tone, it was clear that he hated them with a passion. Jiwoo immediately despised him with his snarky smirk and his arrogant attitude. But again, Jiwoo would just have to stay silent and get this tour over with. 

"Alright, shall I show you around now? There is lots to see." The CEO said, sounding impatient.

"Let us, I am very eager to see your hard work and improvements." The father replied, nodding in confirmation.

The first part of the tour was pretty boring, Jiwoo thought. Possibly it was due to the fact that it mainly focused on the financial and business side, which Jiwoo had no knowledge on. The CEO had showed them around and practically bragged about how "successful" the SRPC was, which made Jiwoo roll her eyes several times. Eventually, Jiwoo did meet more employees than just Jisu, and the difference between them was as clear as day. Jisu had greeted her kindly, where these employees gave them a cold stare and every time they greeted Jiwoo or her parents, it sounded forced. But, Jiwoo was not there for them, anyway.

Finally, the CEO was going to show the experiment and research room, which peeked Jiwoo's interest instantly. This was what she had been waiting for, so Jiwoo opened her eyes and ears. 

"And here is our experimental room." The CEO declared as he opened the door to let the family inside, with himself following behind.

Jiwoo watched with curious eyes as she entered the spacious room. It was large department, with a vast number of scientists working in the space. Nobody had noticed them walking into the room, to invested into their work to look up. Some were on computers, jotting down information on a clipboard. Others were using microscopes, examining samples one by one. There was a large amount of machinery with a diverse number of functions that were completely occupied by men and women in white lab coats with gloves and safety glasses. Some scientists held test tubes with unfamiliar substances, while some were combining multiple. There was a lot for Jiwoo to digest, but she had to stay focused.

"This is where we come up with new technology and other essentials to assist us with learning more about the hybrid species and to protect our citizens. We have the top scientists to ensure the refinement and proper management of any projects conducted this department. They are the pride of our business." 

"Quite impressive." The father said, sounding impressed. "What is your staff working on currently?"

"A variety of projects, but as of late, they gave been directing their attention to identifications of the hybrid species." The CEO explained. "As you know, hybrids are troublesome to pinpoint as their human forms are an exact replica of actual human beings. So, we were are working incessantly to come up with some way to not only distinguish hybrid from human, but to disclose the type of dragon they are."

As the CEO was giving an explanation, a lady had sauntered over to them. She had the same attire as every other scientist in the room, but looked more lively and did not carry that somber expression the others did. She clearly was not as young as Jisu was, but is certainly younger than the CEO. The lady had dark blue hair as well, which stood out among the staff.

"Ah, and this is one of my top scientists." The CEO motioned to the lady. "Her name is Lee Siyeon. She had looked over the entire department for almost a decade and is one of my most trusted employees."

"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you." Siyeon said, shaking her parents' hands. 

"The pleasure is all mine." The mother said, impressed. 

"Sir, I wanted to tell you that the serum for H-0326 has been prepared and is ready for testing." Siyeon said the CEO, a stern look on her face. "Testing may begin whenever you're ready."

"Exemplary!" The CEO exclaimed. "We shall begin testing immediately! I'm sure the Kim family would be intrigued by this. We have been working on this for months." 

"Of course, it would be an honor." The father said respectfully.

Before they were heading to the testing room, Siyeon had noticed Jiwoo, but she did not have realization in her eyes. She just wore a tiny smirked and looked as though she had been expecting her. Jiwoo did not know if it was her paranoia that was making her see things or if it was acting legit. But it was too late to tell, as Siyeon has turned around to guide them.

They entered into a room in the back of the department, with a door labeled "DANGER, DO NOT ENTER", which put Jiwoo on edge. Despite this, Siyeon did not appear bothered and opened the door without a care, leading the rest to follow. They walked down a lengthy hallway with barely any light source before turning a sharp corner. When Jiwoo turned the corner, she was immediate met with a theater type room. There was a large glass dome with railing surrounding the structure. On one side of the room, there a few screens, presumably of the space inside the dome. 

"Come. The testing is about to begin." Siyeon said, motioning them to stand near the railing.

Everyone moved in front of the railing and looked down in the dome. There was only scientists inside, cleaning medical instruments and seemingly preparing for the testing.

"Will H-0326 be sedated before entering the theater?" The CEO asked towards Siyeon, who was standing between him and Jiwoo.

"Only partially." Siyeon responded. "She cannot be fully unconscious to ensure the success of this experiment, however she was given a shot that would prevent her from having the freewill to transform into her dragon form or use any of her abilities."

"Excellent." 

Eventually, Jiwoo could see the doors that led inside the glass dome was opened. She could see a hospital bed being rolled through the door with someone laying on it. It was a sleeping woman, young looking, who had straps tying her arms to her sides, her ankles pressed together, and her whole body tightly secured to the bed, restricting any body movement. The woman was rolled into the middle of the dome and was immediately surrounded by all the scientists.

"This is H-0326. It has been here for over a month." The CEO said, with intent. "After the hybrid was arrested, it was brought here for us to test on freely." 

"What crime was committed for it to get arrested?" The father asked.

"She was one of the hybrids behind the Times Square Mall attack." Siyeon responded. "Her name was Han Dong."

"Wait, but, I though she was dead?" Jiwoo asked, stunned by this new information.

"That was the original plan. But we figured we could keep her around for a while. We need her for experiments like these."

Jiwoo stared down into the dome and she hear her heart beating heavily against her chest. She knew what was about to happen, and she started to feel sick to her stomach. The way even the CEO talked about the poor woman was downright deplorable, calling her and "it" instead of her proper pronoun. Siyeon seemed to be the only one who said "she", which surprised Jiwoo since Siyeon sounded very eager on doing these experiments. The whole situation made Jiwoo want to leave, but this what she came for so it was too late to back down now.

Jiwoo could see one of the scientists pull out a syringe filled with a dark red liquid, which she assumed was the serum that was previously mentioned. They had also attached Han Dong to a few wires that sourced from a large machine. Siyeon had stepped back at switched on the screens behind them, allowing Jiwoo to have a closer look at different angles. One of screens had a close up of Han Dong's face. Jiwoo could see her eyes fluttering, signalling that Han Dong was beginning to wake up. The sickness in her stomach increased knowing what was to come.

"Alright, insert the injection." Siyeon had spoken into a mic. 

The scientist nodded and leveled the syringe at Han Dong's right arm. The needle was inserted and all of the red serum was drained into the bloodstream. 

At first, there was no reaction and everything became still. But then, after about twenty seconds, Han Dong's eyes blew wide and her pupils began to tremble. Her irises became jet black color, blending in with her pupils. Han Dong's mouth opened as she gasped, revealing sharp canines. The panting gradually developed into growling, that eventually became ear-piercing shrieking and roaring. The hybrid started to convulse, trying to break free from the tight restraints. Tears ran rapidly down her face, as she continued to screech.

"Wh-What is it doing to her??" Jiwoo exclaimed, flabbergasted at the horror she was witnessing.

"The serum's purpose is to forcefully bring the hybrid's dragon form to the surface without the need of them actually become a large beast." Siyeon explained, sounding unusually calm. "This way, we can analyze what is the full extent of the hybrid's abilities compares to those of a human being. It is painful, due to the fact that their dragon abilities can only be controlled and contained within that form. They can become unstable and overwhelmed, which is why we have to act fast before they either become unconscious or even die from the pain."

Jiwoo looked at screens with an expression of dread. She could not help the tears falling from her eyes, as her eyes were fixed on the inhumane act before her. Her grip on the railing tighten, her knuckles turning white. Jiwoo shook in place and her irises trembled. She could feel the bile rising in her throat as she felt like she could throw up at any minute. Her ears rang from all the heart wrenching screams that came out of the convulsing hybrid. 

And while Jiwoo reacted, every one else around her had barely any. Her parents, the CEO, and Siyeon looked over the dome with a neutral and somewhat captivated facial expression. The scientist who were up close to Han Dong just watched or kept working, completely unbothered. Jiwoo was the only one who appeared emotional, while everyone else stayed composed. 

Eventually, Jiwoo could see at the corner of her eye that the machine Han Dong was attached to had printed a few sheets of paper. When one of the scientist looked over it, they sent a thumbs up towards their direction.

"Testing has been completed." Siyeon announced into the microphone. "Please inject H-0326 with the anti-serum and sedative." 

Just as Siyeon had instructed, Han Dong was injected with two more syringes. The shrieking finally hushed and the convulsing came to a halt. The hybrid had a relieved expression on her face and began panting breathlessly. Jiwoo's heart sank when she saw the last few tears drizzle down from Han Dong's unfocused eyes as her pupils faded back to brown. Eventually, her eyes closed as fell into a deep slumber.

"Looks like the experiment was a success!" The CEO announced proudly. 

"Those documents will give you all you need know that hybrid?" The father asked.

"Precisely. Everything about their powers and enhanced abilities will be on those documents for comparison." 

"This one is a frost hybrid. Every hybrid has differing abilities so we must conduct the experiment with the five other types to get the full analysis underway." Siyeon explained, as she led all of them out of the theater.

Jiwoo blocked out the conversation after that. She just stared at the television screen, frozen in place. She still was appalled by everything that occured within the last ten minutes. The fact that anyone could commit such an ruthless act against anyone just made her blood boil. Jiwoo always knew there were people who treated hybrids with disrespect but she never in a million years would have imagined that anyone would do something like this. Witnessing it herself for the first time just meant her fears were realized.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" 

Jiwoo was startled by the soft yet suspicious voice of Siyeon.

"H-How can I be?..." Jiwoo stuttered, trembling. "I just witnessed you all torture somebody...for no good reason..."

"That thing destroyed our mall, costing us thousands in damage." The CEO said with a stern tone. "You seriously cannot sympathize with that creature."

"I know she did a crime....but no one deserves to be tortured!!" Jiwoo shouted, eyes welling with tears. "Did you all not hear her scream in pain!? She was wailing and convulsing! No one, especially not a hybrid, deserves to suffer like that! Imagine if that was you! You shouldn't be hurting someone like that just for your inhumane experiments!"

"Jiwoo! Be respectful!" The father raised his voice. "How dare you speak so profanely!"

"But-"

"I don't care if you believe that there is somehow an issue with this. This place is helping our city and you should be grateful for their hard work. Now, I expect you to keep your mouth shut for the rest of the tour unless you have something actually logical to say!"

Jiwoo wanted to fight back, but she was forced to sigh in defeat. She had no choice but to bite her tongue and just obey her father. Still, Jiwoo was stunned that nobody else shared her views on this matter. Everyone just treated the situation like it was a normal act to commit on someone. 

"Anyway," The CEO cleared his throat. "How about we venture to my office and discuss our business plan?"

"That would be lovely, yes." The mother responded.

Jiwoo's parents and the CEO headed out of the room, leaving Jiwoo and Siyeon.

"Don't worry, little one." Siyeon said, almost patronizingly as she patted Jiwoo's head. "You will understand soon enough."

"No, I will never understand this!" Jiwoo protested. "I could never understand how you guys could be so cruel! I can't just sit back and allow your company to harm hybrids so freely!"

Siyeon chuckled and leaned close to Jiwoo's ear, and whispered:

"Then why don't you do something about it, Jiwoo?"

Siyeon gave Jiwoo's head a few pats before following the others without another word.

Jiwoo stood there, still stuck on what Siyeon had whispered. There were a lot of things on her mind, but the prominent was that she had to fight against these torturous acts that stemmed from hateful prejudice. A spark of determination flicked within herself, knowing what she had to do.

***

"Thanks for taking me out to lunch, Hyojung!" Yerim said, savoring her food joyfully. "I didn't realize how hungry I actually was!"

"You're welcome, Yerim." Hyojung said down her drink. "We haven't been hanging out much lately so this is a nice way to catch up."

Yerim nodded in agreement and took a large bite out of her burger. Hyojung was right - they have not been spending time together for a while, so it was good feeling to finally do it when Yerim was not stressing over a commission or Yeojin. 

"Hey, isn't that your friend Jiwoo over there?" 

"Hm?"

Yerim turned to where Hyojung was facing to see who she was looking at. She was right - there was Jiwoo, sitting at a table with another woman across from her. They looked to be in an intense conversation, with Jiwoo even looking like she was on the verge of crying. 

"Yeah, that's her." Yerim confirmed. "I wonder who that other girl is..."

"I don't know her name but I've seen her with Minji once."

"Really?" 

"Mhm, they were just talking outside the studio building a few days ago before Minji came in to work."

Taking note of what Hyojung said, Yerim could not help but become curious. Everytime Yerim took a small glance at Jiwoo and the unknown woman, they seemed to be more and more serious or emotional. It was strange to see Jiwoo appear this upset, since she usually was the most positive person Yerim knew. When Yerim saw Jiwoo start bawling, she wanted to walk over there and ask what was going on. But she did not want to make a big deal out of it, so Yerim just watched from afar. But what almost made her actually get up was the unknown woman and her strange actions. Yerim noticed that the unknown woman had a conspiring look, with a slightly noticably smirk to go with it. The woman did not look like she was actually trying comfort Jiwoo, but instead has body language that screamed that it was all an act. The way her eyes lingered on Jiwoo, the hand that would caress Jiwoo's cheek now and then - it all just sent major red flags in Yerim's head. The fact Jiwoo appeared oblivious to the obvious signs was simply frustrating.

"Are you going to go talk to them?" Hyojung asked, disrupting Yerim's thoughts.

"No, I don't want to get involved..." Yerim replied. "But, I am going to keep an eye on that girl and figure out what she's about. Maybe when I get to know more about Minji, then I can ask about her because she just...seem off."

"Well, good luck to you! I'm sure you'll be able to get to the bottom of this. If any can do it, it's you."

"Thanks, Hyojung. I'll try my best..."

Yerim knew what she has to do to investigate. It seemed like it was straightforward, for now. However, Yerim had a feeling that she was not ready for what she was going to find.

***

"So, guys, I was thinking..." Jungeun spoke up as she took the last bite out of her food. Jinsoul and Hyejoo, who was at the dinner table and still eating, looked up at her. Chaewon, who was feeding her pets, set their food down and turned to Jungeun.

"About what?" Hyejoo asked.

"Well, it was about Chaewon's tattoo that magically appeared out of thin air." Jungeun began. "It reminded me of the fate flower that we get."

"What's a fate flower?" Chaewon asked, curiosity peeked. 

"Oh, that's what fauna hybrids get when we reach a certain age. It's an image of flower that appears on the body, and whatever it is will represent what your destiny is or special skill that influence your future." Jungeun pulled back her sleeve and revealed her wrist to Chaewon. "This is mine. It's a myrtle flower, which stands for "marital luck". And...you see how that turned out."

Jinsoul and Jungeun looked at each other affectionately. 

"So...do you think it's the same thing with me?" Chaewon asked.

"Possibly! The only difference is that a fate flower is, well....a flower! But yours is of a sun. Although, everything else is the same." Jungeun thought for a few seconds. "So, maybe we should look into it."

"What are you suggesting?"

"Hey, babe?" Jungeun turned to Jinsoul. "You remember my great-grandmother, right?"

"Oh my god, how could I forget?" Jinsoul chuckled. "She was the who predicted we would get married. She would always bother us about it for years, and even helped us with our wedding. I will never forget her."

"Exactly! So how about she could help us? My great-grandmother knows a lot about fate and predictions, so maybe we could go see her and ask what she thinks!" 

"You mean, go all the way to Alirtura, now??" Hyejoo spoke up. 

"Yeah! We can just teleport there and then it's, like, a ten minute walk. Besides, we have nothing to lose, anyway!"

"And think we should." Jinsoul agreed. "How about we go on Saturday when Chaewon doesn't have to work. It will only be a few hours, hopefully." 

"That sounds great, but what about me being a, you know, human?" Chaewon questioned nervously.

"Oh, don't worry! Faunas are the most accepting of humans out of all the types! They'll find you more adorable than anything!" Jungeun reassured. 

"Okay! As long as I don't cause any trouble..."

"Alright then, we'll leave on Saturday." Jinsoul settled on. "It's probably better if it's only the four of us, just so we don't cause any disruption. Alirtura is a calm and collected place, and we shouldn't come in and disturb that."

Out of all of the dragon dimensions, Alirtura, or the dimension of the fauna hybrids, was the most peaceful. There was no technology and was very traditional society. Fauna hybrids focused more on nature and chose to live one with it, often living in small cottages and spending their day tending to animals or taking care of forests. 

"Alright, I'm cool with it." Hyejoo shrugged. "If you think she'll be able to help, then why not?"

"Great!" Jungeun clapped her hands together. "We'll leave first thing Saturday morning!"

They all settled on the idea and made sounds of agreement. 

Later in the evening, they all got comfortable in front the television to watch a movie before bed. Chaewon and Hyejoo were cuddled up on the couch, with Chaewon's arms wrapped around Hyejoo's waist while her head leaned on the hybrid's shoulder. While being content with how close they were, Chaewon was reminded of their first morning together. The time Chaewon could not sleep well and ended up falling asleep on Hyejoo. It was one of the first time Chaewon felt comforted by someone this affectionately. 

A lot had happened since then, some of which Chaewon had never imagined would ever occur. There were simplistic occurrences like a first kiss, and then there were those that felt more surreal like having a soulmate. And the fact that it all developed within two months made this feel even more unbelievable, but Chaewon could not be more delighted. Maybe it was because of them being soulmates, or maybe it was because Chaewon had felt lonely most of her life. But, Chaewon felt like she had someone that she had an almost magnetic-like bond between the two of them. So, whatever was the reason for the fluttering happiness she had been feeling lately, she was pleased nonetheless.

Chaewon glanced at the married couple on the carpet floor, noticing that Jinsoul and Jungeun were sleeping while snuggled up together. She then looked at Hyejoo, whose eyes we're seemingly fixed on the television. Chaewon's eyes lingered on Hyejoo's face longer than she initially was planning, as a thought popped up in her mind. 

Chaewon remembered the lady she met in her dreams. She recalled how the lady called Hyejoo her "girlfriend", and that made her realize. They had yet to talk about what they were currently. Of course, they were dating, and Hyejoo called her pet names all the time. But they never mentioned each other as girlfriends. Chaewon did not know why they have not yet, but she did not bother Hyejoo about it since it could be due to how fast they got together and maybe because Hyejoo still had her last relationship on her mind. But, Chaewon would love to make it official, because they already acted like girlfriends already. Even this morning, as soon as they woke up, the both of them made out for about fifteen minutes, following with them making breakfast together. Hyejoo was not a great cook, but it did matter in the long run since they ended up having fun in the end. Sometimes, Hyejoo would feed Chaewon, often enjoying babying her. Then Hyejoo would beg her not to leave for work, often kissing her as compensation. Hyejoo was clingy, but not in an annoying way, but in an endearing way. Then, as soon as Chaewon got back, she would be all over her. 

Chaewon was so far into the memories, she did not notice herself giggling quietly. Or the fact that Hyejoo had turned to her, amusement on her face.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Hyejoo snickered. 

Chaewon snapped out of her thoughts and finally noticed that she had been staring, leading her to blush in embarrassment.

"Oh, sorry..." Chaewon smiled sheepishly. "I was just-"

"Thinking of all the memories we've had together so far?" Hyejoo finished for her. "Yeah, I know. I can see it too."

"Wait, so now you can see my memories??"

"No, only the ones you think heavily on." Hyejoo explained, turning her body to face Chaewon more. "Which are so cute..."

"Ah, shut up...they aren't special..." Chaewon pouted as cheeks gradually developed a Pinker color. 

"You always do that."

"What?" 

"You always downplay yourself." Hyejoo clarified. "Like, whenever someone compliments you or just say anything positive towards you, you always just make it not a big deal." 

"Well, I don't see myself worth much attention..." Chaewon admitted with a sigh. "Ever since I was young, I always in the background. When I was in school, kids would always tease me or ignore because of how "dull" I was. At the time, Jiwoo was the only person who somehow saw something in me. I guess I just imbedded into my head that I was no worth any praise because of how average I was. So now, when anyone compliments me, I say "thank you" but I just don't actually believe it..."

"Chaewon..." Hyejoo looked Chaewon intently in the eyes. "You are special. Just because you might not have had the most eventful life ever, it doesn't mean that you're boring as a person. You're a sweetheart, who has compassion for everyone. You allowed me and the others to stay in your apartment, despite us just meeting. You make sure everyone is comfortable and happy, even if you aren't. You helped us reignite our friendship with Sooyoung. You taught us about so many things, and just treated us like.... actual people, instead of creatures from another world. You treat everyone respectfully, even people who have never met. And finally..."

Hyejoo took Chaewon's hands into her own.

"You...make me feel so happy. I feel like ever since we've met, I just found you such a blessing to be around. You treated me so kindly, way more than could ever expected. Then we got closer, and that led to me having some of the best memories of my life. Whenever we go out together, I learn about you, and everything time I do, I fall more in love with you. And, I can't explain my feelings very well, but I know that what I feel for you is just...full of love. I don't know if that makes sense, but I just love you a lot, okay? You're just an amazing girlfriend and-"

"What?"

"Huh? What it is?"

"You said....girlfriend."

"Yeah?" Hyejoo chuckled at the surprised look on Chaewon's face. "I did. What about it?"

"So, wait, are we girlfriends then??" 

"Uh, yeah! I thought we already were!"

"What? Why didn't you tell you want to be a couple?" Chaewon exclaimed.

"What- I thought that was obvious!" Hyejoo protested. "I mean, we've been all over each other so much lately I thought it didn't need to be said!"

"Ya!" Chaewon shoved Hyejoo playfully. "I thought you didn't want to! You made me stress about it for like weeks!!"

"Oh...whoops?" Hyejoo shrugged, cackling afterwards. 

"I hate you!" Chaewon lightly punched Hyejoo a couple of times while pouting. 

"Aw, I'm sorry babygirl..." Hyejoo held up Chaewon's arms on either sides of her head by the blonde's wrists to halt the punches. "Can I make it up to you?"

"I don't think you can..." 

"Will kissing you make you to forgive me?"

"It would, but-"

Hyejoo pulled Chaewon by her waist until she was laying flat on her back on the couch. Hyejoo got in between her legs and on top of her, leaning her head closer to Chaewon's, until their faces were inches apart.

"W-Wait!" Chaewon stuttered, glancing at a sleeping Jinsoul and Jungeun. "But they're right there..."

"And? They're sleeping and it's like we're going to fuck or anything." Hyejoo justified. "Besides, they've done this to me and worse for years, so they have no room to complain."

Even though Chaewon was hesitant at first, as soon as Hyejoo slammed her lips onto her own, the hesitancy faded away instantly. The longer they kissed, the more bolder they became. Chaewon's arms circled around Hyejoo's neck, while the other's hand were lingering on her waist. Eventually, tongues were added to the equation and by then they were far gone. 

They were at it for a good ten minutes before Chaewon could her cellphone ringing from her pocket. At first, she let it ring, figuring she could just call back later. But when the phone rang for the second, she knew it had to be serious. So, with a whine, Chaewon pulled back from the kiss and took out her phone.

"Can't it wait?..." Hyejoo sighed in annoyance.

"It might be serious..." 

Chaewon looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Sooyoung, prompting her to answer.

"Hello?"

*"Chaewon, was Jiwoo acting weird today?"*

"What?"

*"Jiwoo. When she got home, she seemed down for some reason. I thought because she was with you that-"*

"I... wasn't with her today." Chaewon said, confused. "I was working all day. I haven't seen her since the trip, so..."

There was a long pause, followed by sigh.

*"Thanks Chaewon. Sorry for bothering you."*

"Thanks for what?-"

Sooyoung had ended the call, leaving Chaewon lost for words.

"What is it?" Hyejoo asked when noticed the puzzled look Chaewon wore.

"I don't know... Sooyoung asked if Jiwoo was acting strange, because she thought that Jiwoo was with me today, but obviously I don't know because I wasn't with her. Then she thanked me and hanged up. She sounded pretty angry..."

"Hm, that's weird..." Hyejoo admitted. "But, then again, those two are probably the oddest couple I know, so that's not surprising."

"Yeah, I guess you're right..."

Chaewon did not know what was going on, but for some reason, she had a bad feeling about it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 14! This was more focused on Jiwoo, with some attention on Yerim as well. We got the introduction of two more side characters, of which will be more important as the fic reaches its climax. You all got to see some of what this SRPC was capable of which, obviously, was nowhere near justifiable and completely inhumane. It was messed up and you can also tell of Jiwoo's immense compassion for others, which is both her strength and her weakness. Then we have investigator Yerim started to come out, which is the beginning of her arc. You will see her a lot more often now and not just for Yeojin. Of course, investigator Yeojin will come up later, which will make the duo of them pretty comical. We also got a pure chapter ending with HyeWon, which I honestly loved writing because I think with all the drama it was a nice pause. Although, expect some more drama next chapter! Not going to spoil though 👀
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	15. 𝒊 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i searched everywhere for you  
> only to learn thar one touch was all it took.  
> then i saw a glimpse of your past.  
> and as I go through your memories  
> 𝒊 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"I'm leaving now, Sooyoung!" Jiwoo grabbed her purse and put on her jacket. 

"Where are you going?" Sooyoung asked, voice sounding stiff. She was sitting in front of the television, facing away from Jiwoo.

"Oh, just going to Yerim's place for the morning!" Jiwoo quickly responded, sounding nervous. "We were going to-"

"Jiwoo, are you being honest with me?"

"What?"

"Jiwoo, where were you yesterday?" Sooyoung asked, starting to sound tense as she turned and fixed her eyes on Jiwoo.

"Uh, with Chaewon?" Jiwoo replied, but it sounded more like a question.

"I called Chaewon yesterday and she said that she was working all day. She hasn't seen you since the trip."

"Oh, well-"

"Jiwoo, why did you lie to me?" Sooyoung stood up. "I thought we promised after I told you about my past that we wouldn't keep secrets from each other. You were the one who said we had to stop lying to each other, and now you're the one who's doing it."

"Look, it's not that big of a deal! I was just..."

"You were just?..."

"...with my parents." Jiwoo finished, avoiding eye contact. "Remember how a few days ago I had that fight with my father?"

"Yes?"

"Well, yesterday, I...tried to apologize to him. I wanted us to possibly reconcile, but that didn't turn out well. And that's why I was when I got home, because it still hurts..."

Jiwoo knew that it was bad thing to keep fibbing to her girlfriend, after the heart to heart they had over a week prior, but she had no choice. Gahyeon had told Jiwoo to keep what they were doing a secret, saying that they less people knew, the better of a chance that no one would ruin their plan. Jiwoo did not know the full extent of the plan yet, but that was she was hoping to learn that today. Besides, it wasn't a complete lie, she was with her parents...just not doing what Sooyoung thought she was.

"Oh, Jiwoo, I'm so sorry!" Sooyoung speedily apologized, bringing Jiwoo into a hug. "I thought something else was happening...but, it was none of my business. I know you're sensitive about it and all..."

"Oh, it's okay!" Jiwoo reassured. "I'm feeling a lot better today, and I'm used my father's behavior by now. No worries!"

With how apologetic Sooyoung sounded, Jiwoo immediately felt bad. It felt like she was using her situation to gain sympathy and to turn down suspicions. But, then again, at least for now Jiwoo did not have to worry about Sooyoung questioning her.

"So, you're going to Yerim's place?" Sooyoung asked for clarification, pulling away from the hug.

"Yeah, just for a few hours, then I'll be back."

"Okay..." Sooyoung pecked Jiwoo's lips. "See you later..."

Jiwoo gulped. "Yeah, see you..."

After a few more kisses, Jiwoo walked out of the apartment and walked until she was a few blocks from the building before pulling out her phone.

***

Yerim groaned as she forced into waking up from the sounded of her phone going off. Whining, she pushed herself to grab her phone off of the table next to her head and answered it without looking at who was calling.

"Hello?..." Yerim answered drowsily.

*"Yerim! It's Jiwoo!"*

"Huh?...Jiwoo, why are you calling this early in the morning?..."

*"Can you cover for me?"*

"What?..."

*"Sooyoung might call you and ask if I was with you! Just tell her that I was if she asks! No question it, just do it please?"*

"Uh..I guess so...sure?.."

*"Okay, great! Thanks! I'll make it up to you!"*

"That's fine..." Yerim yawned.

*"Okay, see you!"*

The call ended right there, prompting Yerim to set her phone down. It took her about a minute to process what Jiwoo had said, and when Yerim understood, she grew confused. Why Jiwoo wanted her to cover for her and possibly lie to Sooyoung was beyond her, but how frantic Jiwoo sounded made even more odd. Maybe it had to do with what happened yesterday while having lunch, with that strange woman. If that was the case, then Yerim had even more of a bad feeling about it. Yerim knew she had to act fast, because something's told her that Jiwoo was in some sort of trouble.

***

Just like they had agreed on, Jinsoul, Jungeun, Chaewon and Hyejoo left to go for Jungeun's home early Saturday morning. Jinsoul had called Hyunjin and told her that they would be gone for the day and what they would doing just in case they needed assistance. Chaewon was fearful about the idea of teleporting, since she had never done it before. But the others reassured her that it was a quick and painless process, so Chaewon had nothing to worry about. Luckily, hybrids could teleport other people as long as the human and the hybrid were touching in some way. So, Chaewon held hands with Hyejoo as the four of them teleported to their destination.

Chaewon could not even tell she was teleporting when she closed her eyes, it felt they were in the same place the entire time. When Chaewon felt a cool breeze whip past them, she opened her eyes to witness a world she had never been.

They were standing in an open forest, with trees so high that Chaewon could not see the top. There were small cottages spread throughout the space, which appeared to be made out of tree bark and other natural resources. There were children running around and playing with small animals. Chaewon saw adults who were taking care of common chores such as washing clothes or sewing. Some were tended to animals, while others were gardening. It was almost like a village, and everyone looked like they were one big and happy family.

"Welcome to my home, Chaewon!" Jungeun announced in excitement. "The most peaceful place to exist."

"Wow..." Chaewon gasped, eyes wandering at all the new scenery. "It's so beautiful..."

"I know, we try." Jungeun giggled. "We basically dedicate our lives on maintain the environment. Helping plant growth, taking care of animals - we do all we can. That's why we refuse to develop into a modern society, since that would run the risk of impoverishing the hard work we've spent centuries to built. So, this how our life is and will remain for years to come!"

"Well, I think that's admirable that you all can preserve all of this!" Chaewon awed, applauding the hard work. "I would love to live here!"

They began walking towards Jungeun's family's house, while also admiring the scenery around them. Jungeun would tell Chaewon about anything the blonde encountered and took interest in. Jungeun had not seen her home in over a year, and even when she would stop by it would only be for a quick family visit.

"So, you really think your great-grandmother would know what my tattoo means?" Chaewon asked.

"I know she will." Jungeun replied, sounding confident. "She's been around for centuries, so she has a lot of knowledge stored in her brain over time. If anyone can tell us, it's my great-grandmother!"

"Wow...how old is she? It sounds like she's been alive for a long time..."

"Yeah, like over ten centuries?" Jungeun responded, trying calculate the amount of time in her head. "Honestly, who knows? She's been around since the war so honestly no one's keeping count, not even her. I swear she's immortal!"

"But, I thought you guys lived for about two centuries?" 

"Hybrids from way back then usually live longer than we do, possibly due to the fact that they've gained resistance overtime." Jinsoul explained. "When you've lived through a war and centuries of trying to rebuild your society in a dimension from scratch, then you can take on anything."

"Also it's because hybrids back then had the strangest of medicines and herbs that you could never find today." Hyejoo added on. "I mean, you heard about what happened to Heejin - back then was wild."

Finally, they made it to the family's cottage and Jungeun walked up and knocked on the door. There was no way of contacting her family beforehand due to the lack of technology, so Jungeun hoped that they were home.

"I hope not ALL of your family members are here.." Jinsoul said, sounding bothered.

"No promises!"

"How many family members usually live here?.." Chaewon asked with intrigue. 

"Well, about four brothers, six sisters, eleven cousins, a few aunts and uncles, my parents, my grandparents, and then there's my great-grandmother. Oh, and about twenty pets! Also, sometimes my siblings friends come to stay from time to time!"

"What the-"

"Oh, and that doesn't even include my extended family and-"

"To summarize, yeah, she has a lot of family members." Hyejoo put a hand over Jungeun's mouth. "That's why this cottage is taller than many others you've seen."

"Yeah, and why I always try to avoid going to any parties of theirs during holidays..." Jinsoul shivered when recounting the memories. 

"Yeah..." Jungeun chuckled timidly. "Our family doesn't know when to stop, if you know what I mean..."

Chaewon opened and closed her mouth, lost for words. Of course, she knew what Jungeun meant, just could not believe it.

"Uh.. right."

The four women could little girl's shouting from the other side of the door, that became louder as the girls moved closer. Finally, the door was opened and the two girls jumped up on Jungeun.

"Jungeun!!" Two little girls squealed enthusiastically as they hugged Jungeun by the waist. "You're back!!"

"Hey, you two! I haven't seen you both in a year right?" Jungeun crouched down and hugged each of them. "What have you girls been up to lately?" 

"Mom was teaching me how to sew, and now we're trying to make a dress together!" One of the little girls said. "Do you wanna see?"

"Sure, after we talk to great-grandmother! Speaking of which, is she here?"

"Yeah, she's napping upstairs!" 

"Jinsoul!" The other little girl exclaimed, skipping over to them blissfully. "And Hyejoo too!" 

"Hey Hwayoung!" Hyejoo hugged her after hunching down. "I hope you're staying out of trouble!"

"I've been good, promise!" 

"Good, because we don't want you to get into any more fights like last time." Jinsoul warned, half jokingly.

Hwayoung was always an adventurous little kid. She was the type to run off without a second thought or to get into confrontations with those she disagreed with. Jungeun would always joke that Hwayoung would probably be better as Heejin's sister than her own, since Hwayoung pretty much ticked off every single wind hybrid stereotype. 

"Who's that?"

The other little sister pointed at Chaewon while staring at her with curious wide eyes.

"This is Chaewon!" Jungeun replied. "We went to Earth for a while and befriended her. She's also Hyejoo's girlfriend now!"

"Wow, so you're a human??" Hwayoung gasped. "That's so cool! I've never met one before!"

"Oh," Chaewon laughed awkwardly from the attention. "Well, it's nice to meet you!"

"You're dating Hyejoo??" The other sister asked in surprise. "Wow, I thought she would never date anyone! Especially not someone as beautiful as you are!"

"O-Oh! I'm not that pretty or anything-"

"I know, right? She is beautiful, the most stunning woman I've ever seen." Hyejoo smirked flirtatiously, making Chaewon become shy and have rosy pink cheeks. 

"Anyway..." Jinsoul rolled her eyes. "Let's go see your great-grandmother now."

Entering the cottage, Chaewon got to see just what Jungeun was talking about. They were greeted by a lot of family members trying to get their attention and engage in conversation. Animals ran free inside the home - dogs, cats, birds, even a horse foal. Chaewon got to meet Jungeun's parents, who were probably one of the sweetest people she's ever met. They greeted their daughter and caught up with what she was up to. It was clear by the tears in their eyes that they missed Jungeun dearly. 

It was not until about fifteen minutes that they actually got the opportunity to meet the great-grandmother, who had come down the steps after being woken up by the commotion. Chaewon was about to comment about how extremely young she looked for being centuries old, but then remembered that hybrids stopped aging at thirty, which was exactly what the great-grandmother looked like.

"Is that my great-granddaughter I see?" 

"Great-grandmother!" Jungeun wrapped an arm around her elder's shoulder. "How are you?"

"Happy to be alive, sweetie." The great-grandmother smiled. "It is a pleasure to see you again after so long."

"The feeling is mutual!"

"So, what brings you here, Jungeun?"

"Can we discuss this upstairs? It's confidential and we have to keep the people who knows to a minimum."

"Oh, of course! The four of you, follow me."

They all walked up the wooden steps towards the great-grandmother's bedroom and closed the door so none of her family members could eavesdrop.

"So, tell me what is bothering you."

Jungeun took the time to explain everything that has happened within the last two months. She started from when the decision of herself, Jinsoul, Heejin, and Chaewon traveling to Earth along with Hyunjin. She continued with the information on the cult and what happened with Sooyoung. Jungeun then transitioned into how Chaewon and Hyejoo were soulmates and the strange occurrences that involved Chaewon. Then she mentioned the sun symbolism and everything they knew about it, including the dream Chaewon had on New Year's Day. Jungeun concluded her monologue by adding a few theories that they had conjured up. 

"Wow, that's certainly.... fascinating." 

"Yes, it's a lot to take in." Jungeun commented. "But, the main reason why I came to you is because of the tattoo that Chaewon has. It appeared right after she had that dream, and we can't seem to decipher it. I was hoping that you would be able to."

"Well, let me see what I can do to help."

The great-grandmother sat down at a table in the back. She asked Chaewon to sit across from her and to reveal the tattoo hidden behind the sleeves. Chaewon did so and laid her arm on the table for the woman to examine.

"Hm, well this looks interesting..." The great-grandmother eyes traced the design. "I haven't seen this design in a extremely long time..."

"What does that mean?" Chaewon asked, starting to grow worried. "Is that bad thing?"

"No, not at all, dear. It's just..." 

There was a long pause, followed by her standing up abruptly as she realized something.

"Chaewon, did the lady in your dream...give you a necklace or some sort of jewelry?"

"Oh, um.." Chaewon pulled out the necklace from her pocket. "Yes."

Chaewon was reluctant to show the necklace, especially after the lady from her dream had said to only reveal it to Hyejoo. However, she trusted Jungeun, and was confident that her great-grandmother's experience would assist them. 

"I want you to put it on." The great-grandmother turned to Jungeun. "Jungeun, I want you to go get me this wooden box I have in the closet downstairs. It has a golden lock on it, you shouldn't miss it."

"On it!" Jungeun hurried out of the bedroom.

"Is something wrong?.." Hyejoo asked as she watched her girlfriend put on her necklace.

"Oh, don't worry sweetheart. I just want to try something!" The elder reassured them. "If I'm right about it, though, this could explain the tattoo and a lot of what Chaewon has been through."

"I sure hope so..."

"Alright, I think this is the box, right?" Jungeun came back with the wooden box in her hands. 

"Yes!" The great-grandmother took the box out of Jungeun's hands and set in on the table. She then went through a few of her drawers until she held up golden key she found in one of them. She took the key over to the box and inserted it into the keyhole, turning the key until she heard a click. The elder lifted the cover and reached into the now opened box, taking out a pink hair bow. It was torn in some places, but still looked like it could be wearable with a few touch ups.

"Perfect! This is just we need."

"A...hair bow?" Jinsoul questioned skeptically. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I am not sure myself, however if it is as significant as *she* made it seem then..." Her eyes wandered to Chaewon and then her arm. "It might give an answer to so many mysteries."

"What...should I do with that then?" Chaewon asked, looking at the hair bow tentatively.

"If my memory serves me correctly, all you have to do is touch it while having the necklace on. Then, wait to see what happens." 

"Are you sure this is safe?" Jinsoul asked worriedly. "Do you even know what it could do?"

"It should be safe, as far as I am aware. However, there is only way to truly find out..."

Everyone had their eyes on Chaewon, watching her expectantly. Chaewon kept her own eyes fixed on the hair bow and gulped nervously. She slowly creeped her shaking hand closer to the bow in the great-grandmother's hands. 

"Babe, you don't have to do this..." Hyejoo tried to reason. 

"No, let me try. I want to know - or at least have an idea - of what is happening with me. And if this could help me then I have to, no matter what it does. Besides, it's just a bow. I don't think it will be that detrimental, right?"

Chaewon tried to sound sure of herself, but ended up sounding even more anxious. But her curiosity took over her anxiety, giving her the push she needed to proceed. Chaewon inched her hand closer until it was centimeters away from coming in contact with the accessory. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and allow her fingers to finally touch the hair bow. 

All of a sudden, it felt like a heavy force had walked her over the head, and immediately she saw only bright white. 

***

*"Um, pardon me!"*

As Chaewon blinked her eyes open, she observed that she was in a completely new setting. She was in a large garden, with flowers decorating the area and created an enchanted aesthetic. The sun was bright, almost blinding Chaewon at first. 

*"Pardon me, princess!"*

Chaewon darted her head around, trying to find where the small voice was coming from. She then spotted a young girl who was running towards her. The young girl had black hair, pale skin, and had a small stature. She looked like she was about ten or eleven years old as well. She wore long scarlet dress with a sleeveless tunic, looking very medieval like. 

At first, Chaewon thought the young girl was talking to her, but her assumption was immediately proven false when the young girl past her as if she was invisible. It was only then when Chaewon noticed another young girl, turned around and watching the other run up to her. She looked to be the same age as the other girl and even had a similar dress, but with a butterscotch color. The other girl also had blonde hair instead of black, and was slightly shorter than her too.

The black haired girl finally made it to the blonde, panting heavily.

*"Finally! I caught up to you!"*

*"Hello? Do I know you?"*

*"No, but I believe that this accessory belongs to you."*

The black haired girl took something out from behind her back. Immediately, Chaewon recognized that it was the hair bow from earlier, except it was cleaner and sewed together. The black haired girl handed over to the blonde.

*"Oh my! That is mine! How did you stumble upon it?"*

*"I saw it fall from your hair while you running from the east side of the gardens. I thought it would be appropriate for me to return it to you personally."*

*"Oh wow... I thank you dearly for your compassion and vigilance! I would have been frantically searching for in a few hours!"*

*"It is no trouble, princess. I was just doing what any amiable person should do."*

Chaewon noted how - despite these two being children - they spoke in a very mature and respectful manner. This time period must be centuries ago. 

*"Pardon me for asking, but what are you doing in the castle gardens? I have not seen you before and appear to young to be a castle staff."*

*"I am here because my family is close with yours. I am sure you know of the council meeting that is currently taking place."*

*"Oh yes, of course! Your family must be in the council, correct?"*

*"Yes, they represent the flame hybrid tribe."*

*"Wow, that is impressive! I have never met another type other than my own!"*

*"I as well. So, that leads to me to wander around while I wait for the culmination of the meeting, leaving me to suffer with unresolved boredom."*

*"Well, how about we shall be bored together? It is much more bearable to suffer with a friend."*

*"Friend?.."*

*"Yes, did I stammer?"*

*"But, princess, I am a common villager and am not worthy to be in your unmatchable presence. I am below you and you should treat me as such."*

*"Nonsense! You are no less important than I! We are both young girls and no differences such as status should come in between us! I see you as no more distinct than I, so therefore I want us to become friends despite societal norms."*

*"I...can not put into words of how I feel towards this. I am honored, princess, that you see as some worthy!"*

*"You do not have to be "worthy", you deserve it for the day you are born. In addition, if we are going to become mutuals, you should halt the honorifics and the use of my title. Call me Haeun."*

*"Haeun...what a blessed name!"*

*"No need for flattery..."*

*"Just simply stating the obvious, prin- Haeun. Pardon me, it will take me a while to get used to..."*

Haeun hugged the young villager out of nowhere, placing her head on the taller girl's shoulder. It took the black haired girl a while to react, but then gradually wrapped her own hands around the blonde.

Pulling apart, they caught themselves looking into each other's eyes and laughed awkwardly. The villager slid her hand into the other's and took out the hair bow. Haeun stared at her with puzzlement.

*"Is something the matter?"*

*"Not at all. I just presumed that you would need help tying the bow back in your hair."*

*"Oh, only if you do not mind."*

*"I do not. Just turn around."*

Haeun followed the instructions and turned her body so her back was facing the black haired girl. The villager untied the bow, brought the ribbon up to the ponytail, and began tying it around the hair with care. After it was tied and the black haired girl was sure it was secure, she told the blonde to turn back around.

*"Thank you!"*

*"It was no issue, Haeun. I am still feeling the bliss of the idea of us becoming friends."*

*"As do I. But first, since I told you my own name, I would love to learn of yours."*

*"It is not as beautiful as yours but my name is... Mi-Sun."*

Chaewon's eyes widened when she recognized that name.

It was...no.

But it could not be...could it?

Suddenly, Chaewon felt her surroundings slipping away and again her vision became pure white.

***

Chaewon gasped as her vision was restored and she found herself back into the great-grandmother's bedroom, with four females surrounding her with concerned faces.

"Wait, her eyes aren't white anymore! I think she's okay!" Jungeun exclaimed. "Chaewon, are you with us?"

"Baby, are you okay?" Hyejoo lightly shook Chaewon while face to face with her. "Please talk to me..."

"Uh..." Chaewon's eyes finally became clear as the dizziness slowly ceased. "Yes, I'm fine..."

"What the hell just happened?" Jinsoul questioned. 

"More importantly, what did you see?" The great-grandmother added.

"Well... it's hard to explain but..." Chaewon tried to collect herself. "When I touched the hair bow, I felt like something hit and then everything turned white. And then...the next thing I knew, I was in a garden outside of some...castle? And then there were these two little girls, one of them a princess, and they were talking. The other girl gave the princess back her bow, the same one here but more brand new. They became friends afterwards and then they told each other their names. The princess was Haeun and then the other girl..."

There was a long pause as Chaewon stopped her explanation and sighed.

"I'm not sure if... It just seems like so much of coincidence but..."

"What is it?" Jinsoul asked.

"I..."

Chaewon looked at Hyejoo deeply in the eyes, unable to continue her words.

"Chaewon?" Hyejoo eyebrows furrowed. 

"You..."

"What?"

"It's...she had your mother's name..."

"Wait, what?" Hyejoo leaned back, eyes trembling. "You're not saying..."

"Her name was Mi-Sun..."

Everyone was silent, trying to process what the just heard. When it did get through to them, it took them a minute of more awkward silence before anyone spoke up.

"No... It can't be!" Jungeun tried to deny. "Maybe it's just a coincidence! You know, there's probably a lot of girls back then who had the name Mi-Sun, right?"

"There are coincidences with matters as substantial as this." The great-grandmother sighed. 

"So... you're saying it is Hyejoo's mother?"

Hyejoo stood up, eyes glued to the ground under her, fists clenched at her sides. From where Chaewon was sitting, she could see a few tears well up in Hyejoo's still trembling eyes and even saw a few tears fall and stain the carpet.

"Hyejoo?..." Jinsoul silently spoke up.

"So...my mom is involved with this?..." Hyejoo concluded with an unstable voice. 

"Hyejoo, I..." Chaewon stood up so suddenly from her chair that it almost fell over and quickly brought her girlfriend in a comforting embrace. "I'm so sorry... I know it's hard to take in but..."

"No.." Hyejoo sniffled, wiping her tears "I'm not sad I'm just... confused? And...kinda happy, I guess?"

"You are?..."

"Sure, I mean.. I've not heard much about my mother so learning this is like...a relief? And maybe, if she is a part of this, then I can learn more about her?...."

Chaewon chuckled breathlessly out of relief, pulling back her head until she was facing Hyejoo.

"Yeah...maybe we can find out more about your mother..."

"But, with that, how do you we find out more?..." Jinsoul asked, moreso directed at the great-grandmother. "Like, how did touching the bow cause that?.."

"I was told of this prophecy a very long time ago." The elder began to explain. "A trusted friend had told me to hold this bow and keep it safe. She told me to only take it out of the box when a girl with a golden sun tattoo design and a necklace given to them through unexplainable circumstances comes to me. And, I guess this girl fits that perfectly."

"So, I guess now we know that somehow Hyejoo's mother and that princess has something to do with Chaewon in some way."

"And that whoever gave my great-grandmother the bow had the purpose of letting Chaewon know that." Jungeun added. "What if that friend has more items like this? And if so, how do we find them?"

"I have no clue..."

"Well, looks like we have our work put out for us!"

"Well, if you lot need any assistance, just know I will be right here to offer it anytime." The great-grandmother placed her hand on her great-granddaughter's shoulder.

"Thank you! Trust me, we'll need it." 

"Hyejoo, are feeling better?..." Chaewon asked, after wiping away a few of Hyejoo's tears.

"Don't worry, I'm fine..." Hyejoo carefully moved Chaewon's hands from her face and interlaced their fingers together. "There's just a lot on my mind and it's hard to digest all of it."

"That's understandable... Just take all the time you need, okay?"

"Thanks...."

Chaewon and Hyejoo held their gaze into each other's eyes, while their hands were tightly being held by their entangled fingers. They blocked out everyone else around, entranced by one another. Hyejoo could hear tiny whispers occupy her thoughts, and with a closer listen she could hear that it was Chaewon who was comforting her with sincere words. If there was not anyone else standing there, the girlfriends would have kissed already, but they settled with just using their telepathic ability to take to each other candidly. Hyejoo did not mention it, but she noticed that Chaewon's eyes had a slight glint of gold that flashed on and off as they found solace in one another. Maybe it was just her eyes playing tricks on her, but it looked too alluring to ignore.

"You were right, Jungeun, they really are true soulmates." The great-grandmother commented, chuckling at them.

"I told you." Jungeun said proudly. "They are just completely in love."

"It's so strange to watch though." Jinsoul spoke up. "I mean, I haven't seen Hyejoo act like that since... actually never."

"Yeah, but you have to admit that it is a wonderful thing to see. Hyejoo has been closing herself off to everyone for years, and to see her actually being elated is incredible."

"That's true. I'm glad that she can smile a lot more lately."

"Yeah..."

Jinsoul and Jungeun stared at the younger couple with a soft gaze. Then, the married couple looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

"...I'm happy for them."

***

Heejin let out a loud groan while slouching in her seat. She looked at the seat next to her, where Hyunjin was sitting, looked at her expectedly and waiting for Hyunjin to pay attention her.

"I'm so bored!" 

Hyunjin did not react, focusing on the laptop screen. 

"Hey, pay attention to me!" Heejin tugged lightly on Hyunjin's arm. 

"Heejin, what do you want?" Hyunjin sighed, eyes still on the screen.

"I don't know! I'm just bored as shit." Heejin shrugged. "I kinda regret not going with Jungeun back to her dimension. It's way more cool than watching you fiddle with this thing for almost an hour."

"Then what would you rather do?"

"Mm... I mean, I never said I actually knew what I wanted to do. I just at least want you to stop working for a while."

"I will, honest. Just give me twenty more minutes."

"You said that an hour ago."

Hyunjin did not respond, typing away on her laptop and refusing to give Heejin attention.

Heejin huffed and pouted. Living with Hyunjin was fun from time to time, and Heejin did not regret it in the slightest. Now, they had an intimate relationship with each other, which was something they prided on keeping it to themselves and not involving even their friends. However, Hyunjin had a tendency to become a closed-off person. Of course, Heejin knew that Hyunjin was an introvert, which naturally contrasted with her own extroverted demeanor. But it got pretty bothersome when one minute Hyunjin would be all over Heejin and gave her tons of affection, and then for the next minute - or more like hours - Hyunjin would isolate herself and work on her laptop, barely paying any mind to Heejin. Obviously, Heejin did not want to seem inconsiderate, since Hyunjin's work regimen was admirable to both her job and their investigation. But, the flip-flop between how Hyunjin treated her just got tiring. Plus, Heejin worried that how much Hyunjin was working was affecting her. Sometimes, the hybrid would wake up to see Hyunjin not laying next her, leading her to go out into the kitchen, seeing that Hyunjin were deep into her books and laptop, and then learning that she had been awake since two in the morning. Hyunjin needed to let go a little, and maybe Heejin would be the one to give her that push.

"Can we go out?"

"Hmm?" 

"Can we go out?" Heejin repeated louder. "Like, to a restaurant or something? Just so we can talk and to give you a break from all this work you've been doing. You've been working a lot lately so why not take a rest for a few hours? I know you are really determined to solve this situation, I really appreciate it, but you shouldn't overwork yourself, okay?"

Hyunjin's fingers stopped pressing the keys on the keyboard, face becoming unreadable. It took her a while, but eventually she shut her laptop and turned to face Heejin.

"Sure." Hyunjin agreed. "I guess I could use the break."

"Really?" Heejin looked shocked.

"Yeah, why not? Besides, another date with you would be nice."

"Wait- I didn't mean..."

Heejin was about to defend herself, thinking that her words were misinterpreted. But then she noticed the way Hyunjin looked at her. It was something Heejin had never seen from her before. Hyunjin had a tender look in her eyes, which made Heejin stare for half a minute before shaking herself out of her trance. 

"Uh, yeah... A date. That's definitely what I meant!"

"Great." Hyunjin giggled.

*'Oh my god- she just giggled. Fucking giggled.'* Heejin freaked internally. *'Why is that so cute?!"*

"Uh, you okay?"

"Y-Yeah! Let's just go!" Heejin hoped off her seat.

After getting casually dressed, Heejin and Hyunjin headed out of the apartment and on to the restaurant. It was not fancy, but Heejin did not care as long as they got to eat. It was a five minute walk from the apartment, and was fairly cheap while serving quality food so there was no complaints. 

Heejin and Hyunjin sat down at table and ordered their food to the waiter. After the waiter left their table, they started to engage in conversation to past the time.

"So, I was thinking."

"Yeah?" Heejin sipped on her water.

"So, I remembered that you and Ryujin are supposed to be...you know, friends with benefits. But, do you still want that? Because you didn't seem interested when we last talked about it."

"To be honest..." Heejin sighed. "No. I was kind of over it for months. I just kept on because it became a habit and coping mechanism. But now, I realized after moving here that I don't need it as much as I thought I did."

"So, then what's next?" Hyunjin asked curiously.

"I'm planning on telling her as soon as possible, maybe even teleport there one of these days. It will be quick, so I could just do it tomorrow. It's not like she'll mind since we have an open relationship. We agreed that if one of us wants to move on then we would be fine with it."

"That's great. I'm proud of you." 

"Besides, I'm trying to enter this new stage of my life. I think I've been living in this sort of bubble for the past few years where I became too comfortable with how my lived my life and never wanted to change that. I was kind of childish and immature, to the point where even Hyejoo was acting more of like an adult than me. So, I want to reform some things about me from this point forward."

Hyunjin was surprised by how mature the hybrid sounded. This was a new side to Heejin that Hyunjin had never witnessed before. Her voice had no hint of humor and instead was completely genuine. It was a rare thing to hear from her, so Hyunjin was impressed.

"Good for you. I'm glad you can realize that and are ready to make that sort of change."

"Thanks..." 

After about twenty more minutes, their food finally came and they began eating. Overall, they enjoyed their date together as they talked the entire evening about a vast number of topics. They both got to gain a better understanding of each other, past and present. The more they conversed, the more relaxed and jovial the two of them felt. Heejin saw Hyunjin let loose a little bit and not appear so stern, and Hyunjin saw Heejin not be so animated and become more vulnerable. So, it huge step for their relationship.

Heejin and Hyunjin left after an hour, heading home so Hyunjin could have plenty of sleep before going to work the following day. Walking side-by-side, they were so close together that their fingers kept brushing against each other, and eventually they found themselves holding each other's hand subconsciously. Even after they noticed, they did not mention it, just relishing in the moment. Eventually, they were a few blocks away from the apartment building while walking at a slow pace.

"So, you said that you are trying to enter a new phase of your life right?" Hyunjin asked, after minutes of silence.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"What are you planning on changing?"

Heejin took a minute to think, before opening her mouth and speaking composedly.

"Well, I was thinking of commuting to Earth and permanently living here. Obviously, after this whole situation is over so no one is trying to kill me or anything." Heejin chuckled. "Then, I just want to get settled with someone. Jinsoul and Jungeun are already married, Hyejoo now has a girlfriend because of the whole soulmate thing, and even Sooyoung has Jiwoo. I always came off as someone who doesn't want a steady relationship but after thinking about it, I realized that I do."

"Oh..."

There was a short pause.

"So, what are you looking for? In a woman, I mean."

"I never thought about it but I guess I can best summarize it as...someone who can understand me. Or someone who can "handle" me. I know I'm pretty annoying, and someone is very outgoing and free spirited. I am very impulse too, hence the stupid nickname, and like to do things my own way. I'm willing to work on that, but it became so much of a habit. I want someone who understands this and can support me while I try to change. The person has to look past how I am perceived externally, and see how I am internally. I'm also not a very vulnerable person and I don't have any experience in love, but I'm willing to learn."

"Got you..."

Another pause.

"Heejin?"

"Yeah?"

"What are we?"

"Uh..."

Hyunjin stopped walking right in front of the apartment building, making Heejin stop as well. 

"Look," Hyunjin began. "I know we hated each other in the beginning. And now, we are liking each other a lot - I like you a lot. And, I know we are so confused right now. But...I don't want to keep dragging out what we have currently when...I want us to be more."

"So, what are you saying?" Heejin looked her dead in the eyes.

"I guess what I'm saying is that...maybe we could try being... girlfriends?"

Heejin blinked while her mouth was slightly agape. Hyunjin tried to interpret her facial expression, which became unreadable. Eventually, Heejin appeared to have gotten her thoughts together. 

"You know, I said before that I wanted someone who could understand me and can look past my flaws. And...then there's you. Everything that's been happening between us is just... relieving. I feel like I'm better understood by someone. You seem to understand me the most, I feel comfortable opening up to you. You also seem to be able to handle me, despite how immature I am sometimes. So...."

"So?..." 

Heejin smiled. "Sure."

"Wait, you're serious?"

"Yeah, duh." Heejin rolled her eyes. "What do you think that monologue was for?"

"So, wait, you want to be my..."

"Girlfriend. Yes, I do. But, on one condition."

"What?"

"As long as you're over Haseul."

Here we go again...

"Oh my god, I told you I've been over her!" Hyunjin can not help but laugh by her serious tone. "What else do you want me to say?"

"There's nothing you can say. I'm just tired of everything we do or say always goes back to her. I want your attention and lately so many things have gotten in the way of it."

Hyunjin never realized that Heejin felt this upset about it. Of course, Hyunjin knew that Heejin gets jealous and protective frequently, especially when it pertained to Hyunjin's relationship with Haseul. Hyunjin never thought twice about it and assumed that Heejin would get over it eventually. But hearing the sincerity that Heejin had in her voice, Hyunjin understood that her actions almost solely correlated with Heejin's reactions. Hyunjin would mention Haseul constantly when it was supposed to be about them, and then would disregard Heejin's feelings. Hyunjin said that she was over Haseul, but then would turn around and talk about her for minutes. She was contradicted herself, and never took into account of how Heejin would feel, especially since they were trying to date and figure out their feelings.

"I'm sorry, Heejin." Hyunjin sighed. "I haven't been giving you any attention and I'm trying to work on that. Haseul and I are just friends, that's it. And I'm going to try and convince you of that. I also realized that I keep burying myself in my work for hours at a time. I hope you know that I just want to help your kind and my own. But, I can stop for a day, especially when we have no updates, so we can build on what we have."

"Thanks." Heejin said appreciatively. "And I'll stop bothering you when you're trying to focus if you want."

"That would be nice." Hyunjin chortled. "But, I don't mind you pestering me that much. I've been living alone for a long time, so some company is appreciated."

"Good, then I'll bother you all the time."

Hyunjin laughed so more. "Fine by me."

With the mood set, it was no surprise to what action followed. They did not care they were outside and in clear view of any people who passed by. As their lips met and their actions got more passionate by the minute, nothing else mattered in that moment than the assurance that their relationship was set in stone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 15! First off, we have the continuation of Sooyoung's call, which was her confronting Jiwoo. We have Jiwoo and Sooyoung switching roles in a way, which you will catch on more as the climax approaches. But the main event was Chaewon seeing a memory from the past that in someway related to her. The memory included Hyejoo's mother, which will be brought up again. Also, we have 2jin becoming official after being drawn out for a while. Fun fact: I originally planned for them to officially becoming girlfriends with a more dramatic scene, however I think this is more fitting. Besides, ChuuVes is already dramatic enough! So, I hope you all enjoyed the cute ending. ♡
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more information, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	16. 𝒊 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i thought that I understood you.  
> i thought there would nothing left to keep hidden.  
> but now, your past has come up  
> not to haunt you, but to haunt me.  
> now, i am frightened by this new perception.  
> because, from the one side I knew,  
> 𝒊 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: the beginning of this chapter contains assault and blood. although very brief, it can be triggering to some. if you need to skip this section, please scroll until you see the first "***" then proceed reading.

Yerim's head was down with eyes bored into her phone screen. She was walking to her job, taking her sweet time while immersed in texting Jiwoo. Jiwoo had started their conversation, repeatedly thanking Yerim for covering for her a few days ago. Sooyoung had called Yerim to ask about Jiwoo and how she was doing, resulting in Yerim having to lie and say that Jiwoo had fallen asleep while watching a movie. This so so she would not get suspicious of why Jiwoo was not able to speak to her on the phone. 

Yerim had to hold herself back from her inclination to question Jiwoo on her whereabouts. Jiwoo appeared to act strangely as of late, which Yerim just could not help but notice. Especially since she saw Jiwoo around that ominous woman at the cafe, which further pushed her theory that something sinister was brewing behind the scenes. Yerim knew that asking Jiwoo of this would cause her too become even more secretive, so she had to be careful with how she phrased her words. 

Yerim was so invested into her conversation with Jiwoo that she did not notice the woman that stood in her way until they bumped into each other. 

"Sorry! I didn't mean to-"

Yerim did a double take when she lifted her head to see Minji in front of the art studio building. Minji had a scrutinizing look in her eyes, looking at Yerim up and down before scoffing. She did not say a word to Yerim, choosing to continue her venture into the building and ignore Yerim entirely afterwards.

Yerim silently criticized herself for allowing her first actual interaction with Minji to be a fuck up. It made her look like a klutz - which was somewhat true but Minji did not need to know that - which was a terrible first impression when Yerim was trying to at least have one conversation with the woman. Hopefully, she did not loose her chance because of this.

Yerim walked into the building, said hello to a few of her fellow artists, and went up the stairs to her own personal studio. Before entering, she took a glance through Minji's studio door. Yerim could see that the woman had the phone up to her ear and was deep into conversation. She had a frustrated look on her face and sounded like it was an argument. It went on like that for a minute until Yerim saw Minji's face contort from anger to smugness. Her lips stretched into a smirk while she laughed repeatedly. Yerim grew curious about what she was saying so she let the impulse drive her actions. She walked carefully over to the wall next the door, making sure she was angled in a way that Minji could not see here. Yerim then placed her ear near to door to hear the conversation as best as she could. Minji was speaking pretty quietly, however Yerim could make out a few words and phrases.

".... So that dumbass really fell for that?... Jiwoo is just...no wonder Sooyoung...Yeah... What if we.... That would be hilarious!"

Even though Yerim could not hear the full conversation, she could clearly hear the name of Jiwoo and Sooyoung being brought up. There was no doubt that Minji and whoever she was talking to were mocking them. Yerim listened even longer to hear their names repeatedly said and even more insulting laughter.

After about five minutes, Yerim heard complete silence, making her assume that the phone call was over. Yerim decided that she should go into her studio, before Minji would notice her. But as she turned around, Yerim felt a hand grab her by the wrist and forcefully pull on her. The next thing Yerim knew, she felt her back slam into a wall. When the shock faded, Yerim opened her eyes and lifted her head slightly. She was now face to face with Minji, who was only a few inches away from her face. Minji's arms were on either side of Yerim's head, blocking her from escaping. Minji's eyes narrowed as she leaned in closer.

"What do you think you're doing?" 

"Oh...I um..." Yerim whimpered. "I was just passing by and-"

"You leaning against a wall, ear up to the door is passing by??" Minji growled as she leaned in even closer. "You got some fucking nerve to lie to me."

"I'm sorry! I just heard my friends's names and-"

"So is that what you heard?.."

"Um.."

"Anything else?.." Minji placed a hand under Yerim's chin and lifted it so they met eyes. "Did you hear anything else??"

"No, I didn't! I swear!"

"You better be telling me the truth." Minji warned. "Because if you are lying and you tell any of our stupid ass friends, we will make sure that ever single one of them suffer. Let me just warn you, we are everywhere. Just because you can't see us, we will hear every word you say. If you tell Jiwoo, then she would be first to face the consequences. Every one of your friends has someone who can manipulate and take them out in a heartbeat. There is no one you can run to, because we are always one step ahead of you. You understand?"

"Mhm!" Yerim nodded repeatedly.

"I can't hear you!" Minji's grip on Yerim's chin tightened, and Yerim could feel her sharp nails digging into her skin. Minji's other hand had shoved Yerim back into the wall, and she could feel something equally as sharp piercing into her skin. The older woman's eyes glowed bright green.

"I understand! I won't say a word!" Yerim exclaimed, sobbing from the pain.

Minji smirked. "Good."

Minji gripped onto Yerim's shoulders and threw her out of the room on to the floor, slamming the door afterwards. Yerim laid there for a while, the fear still lingering from what occured within the last five minutes. Her body was shaking and her heart was pounding heavily. Yerim reached up to touch her shoulder, that was throbbing. She felt something wet touch her fingers and looked to see dark red liquid running down her fingers. Yerim did the same with her chin and the even more blood stained her fingers, although less than what came from her shoulder. She heard voices gradually getting and had to pull herself up from the ground before anyone would see her. Yerim stumbled into her studio and shut the door behind her. 

Yerim, still trembling, just stood there in front of the door. The fright of the whole situation got to her and began wailing, tears running down her cheeks and drenching her shirt. Yerim felt helpless.

***

"I think I want to go back home."

Kahei stopped in her tracks and stared at Haseul, gobsmacked. 

"Wait, you want to..."

"I want to go back to my home." Haseul repeated, standing up from the kitchen table. 

"But, why now?..."

"I agreed to come to Earth for the sole purpose of taking care of you and your injury." Haseul began to explain. "You are now fully recovered, so there is no need for me. The play was enjoyable, and going on that trip was an irreplaceable experience. However, it is now time for me to go home now."

"Oh.."

Kahei had forgotten the reason of why Haseul had traveled to Earth in the first place. They have had some many great memories together and got so used to each other's company that it slipped to the back of her mind. Now that Kahei was reminded that it was a temporary stay, she wished she had done more things with Haseul. There were now close friends and Kahei hoped it would remain that way.

"So...are you leaving now?" Kahei asked, setting her dinner on the placemat in front of Haseul.

"No, I have to say farewell to the others before I travel back. It would be rude of me to leave put of nowhere." Haseul replied. "So, likely it will be tomorrow evening."

"Understood, but what about us? You don't have any technology back home so we can't text or call each other."

"I will visit from time to time. Maybe about twice or three times a month?" 

Kahei felt somewhat relieve that Haseul was not going to just leave and forget about her. But, the feeling was still bittersweet when realizing that she would not see Haseul as often. But, at the end of the day it was still Haseul's decision and Kahei was not about to guilt her for it.

"Okay," Kahei nodded. "Then, I guess tomorrow is our last day living together, huh?"

"Yes, however I intend on spending all of it with you. We shall do anything you want for the next twenty-four hours, if you're comfortable with that."

"I'd like that." Kahei agreed with a smile. "The only thing is that I have work tomorrow. But, we can spend the afternoon together!"

"Sure." 

Later into the evening, Kahei had finished eating her dinner and sat next to Haseul on the couch. Lately, Haseul had been getting into reading, specifically the sci-fi and fantasy genre. While Kahei was at work, Haseul would spend the day going through novels, oftentimes finishing around three a day. 

The apartment grew silent. Kahei looked over at Haseul, inclined to start a conversation.

"So, Haseul?"

"Yes?"

"What do you usually do at home?" Kahei asked. "Since I know living alone can get lonely sometimes."

"It can be lonely, however that is how I like it." Haseul responded, flipping through her novel. "Alone, I do not have to be a burden to someone. I can focus on myself."

"But, don't you have friends that can visit you?"

"The others do, but about a few times a year. They have their own life to live and I respect that, just like I have my own life. I do not trust people that easily, so finding friends can be troublesome. I have....met too many people that have destroyed my trust in others."

"But, what about me? Because, you seem to get along with just fine, and Yerim, and Yeojin.."

"I can see your good intentions. Ever since I've met you, you have proven to have a pure heart. Same goes for everyone else I met. Including Yuri." Haseul explained, setting her novel down. "However, those people, they were manipulative from the start. I was naive to put any of trust in them, but I did and it backfired. I now know the warning signs and act accordingly. That is why I am considered "closed-off" to many, because I try not to show weakness. Weakness is an attribute just waiting to exploited and used against you."

Kahei never thought about it in that manner. But, that explained why Haseul always acted this way. Kahei wondered how differently Haseul would be acting present-day if it were not for those people.

"That is true. Well.. I hope you can become more open in the future." 

"I am...not too sure about that."

Their conversation ended there. Kahei knew that it was a sensitive area to discuss, so chose not to pry. 

After about twenty minutes, Haseul officially shut her book and stood up from the couch. Kahei looked up at her, confused by the sudden movement.

"Where are you going?"

"To bed." Haseul said bluntly. "I have a lot on my mind and I need some time to rest on it."

"Oh, okay."

Haseul left the novel on the table and proceeded walking into the spare bedroom, shutting the door behind her. 

Kahei should be used to Haseul's strange habits, however that hybrid seemed to always leave her puzzled. Kahei felt bad for Haseul. Sure, Kahei did not know exactly what she went through, however she could tell from personal experience that it was traumatizing in some way. Maybe that is why they both got along together so well. 

Kahei knew she could not let Haseul go just like that. Even if they have only known each other for two months, Kahei fully enjoyed those months. So, she going to have do something for her.

And Kahei knew just what she needed to do.

***

After the events of Chaewon's vision, the four of them immediately left Alirtura to come back home and reflect. Jinsoul contacted Hyunjin to tell them they had to meet the next day to discuss. This time, Heejin and Hyunjin would come over to Chaewon's apartment so they could talk.

They all pulled up chairs for them to all sit in and Chaewon began to tell what happened for start to finish. She did not leave out a single detail so that Hyunjin could understand it clearly. Finishing, Hyunjin took a few minutes to fully process the information and went over it again in her head. Once that was down, the questions started to flood in.

"So, are you all certain that that was Hyejoo's mother?" Hyunjin asked, pulling out a pen and notebook.

"It has to be." Chaewon replied, sure of herself. "Not only was that her name, but she looked like Hyejoo too."

"And if she says it was her, then I believe her without any doubt." Hyejoo agreed, looking at Chaewon, who was sitting right next to her.

"Okay then." Hyunjin wrote down a few words. "And, who do you think that girl was?"

"Haeun? I'm not sure... I never knew anyone named Haeun before so I have no idea." 

"Maybe she was Hyejoo's mother's past lover!" Jungeun suggested. "I mean, by the sound of it, they seem like they were almost an item!"

"Then...why aren't they anymore?" Hyejoo asked. "I mean, I'm here and have a father so.."

"I mean, it is possible for them to...you know...nowadays. I'm not so sure about back then." Jinsoul pondered.

"But, imagine that, you and your mother had a thing for blondes." Heejin joked, chuckling. "Must run in the family."

"But what does Hyejoo's mother have to do with me?" Chaewon questioned. "And why would touching a bow trigger that? This all makes no sense..."

"A lot of stuff that involves magic makes no sense. We've lived like that for all our lives anyway." Jinsoul commented. 

"But, again, why me?? What do I have to do with any of this? I'm just a normal girl! I don't have any connections with any hybrids or mythical beings, not until you all got here! Nothing makes any sense to me and all I want is for this to be solved!" Chaewo

"Baby, calm down." Hyejoo placed a hand on Chaewon's thigh. "I know you're confused, we are too. But it's important to stay calm so we can figure this out as quickly as possible. At least we have some clue what to do next. It will only make more sense from here."

"Yes, that is once we know what remaining objects trigger your visions." Hyunjin agreed, reading over her notes. "Hmm..."

"What's up?" Heejin leaned over to see what Hyunjin was reading.

"No, it's just...this reminds of something I read before."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was a while ago but it was one of my books about hybrids myths and theories. There was this one story about this kingdom where there was this princess who fell in love with a villager. It was big deal due to the fact that they were both females, they were of different status, and different types. They kept up the secret for a long time, and even when they were found out, they stayed committed. Then during the war, the princess disappeared. Although, it is considered a possible myth - a story passed down for generations - so it could be false."

"Maybe that is true!" Jungeun decided assuredly. "At this point, I think anything is a possibility."

"So, what should we do next?" Jinsoul sighed. "There is so many things we need to know, but not enough time to do so. Who knows if this will all connect in the end."

"You know what I think?" Heejin stood up suddenly from her seat. "We should just go find that cult! They have to know something about all of this! Maybe if we confront them we can get some fucking answers!"

"That is terrible idea. We can't just go confront and cult of over a hundred people when we are just six. Sooyoung already said that they are dangerous and manipulative. We have to be smart about every move we make right now."

"But-"

"Exactly, and besides," Hyunjin grabbed onto Heejin's wrist tightly. "doing so could get one of us hurt, including you. I know you want to take revenge on them but keep in mind that there are too many of them to overlook. They've done so many crimes and hurt so many people that we can't take them lightly. And now that we have our friends becoming more involved, we have to be careful. Please, Heejin."

Heejin looked at their pleading faces and groaned.

"Fine, but if this isn't solved soon, then you can't expect me to just sit still. I will fight them on my own if I have to."

"I'll fight them with you." Hyejoo said lowly, a slight growl in her voice.

They all sat there, stumped on what they should do. Actually - scratch that - they knew *what* they had to do, they just did not know *how* to do it. They knew that finding the objects that would cause Chaewon to get more visions was crucial, but how would they find objects they do not know? The hair bow was all the way in Jungeun's dimension, so who knows where the next objects were. On top of that, they still had the cult to deal with. They have not made an appearance since prior the new year. Hopefully, that was not a bad sign.

"Let's just call it a night." Jungeun suggested, standing up and stretching. "It's late and I think we all should just rest on our thoughts. Besides, Chaewon has work in the morning and it's better for her to not worry about it."

"I agree. Let's go, Heejin." Hyunjin stood as well, reaching out for Heejin's hand.

"Fine.." Heejin sighed but held Hyunjin's hand anyway as she stood up. "Let's go home."

"Actually, I was wondering..." Jungeun gazed at Heejin and Hyunjin's hands. "How are you two doing these days?"

"What do you mean?.." Hyunjin looked at her nervously. "We're fine..."

"Like, how "fine"? "Fine" as in frenemies? As best friends? Fuck buddies? Or maybe...lovers?" Jungeun smirked.

"Wait, what? No! The fuck?" Heejin exaggerated, laughing awkwardly. "We are just on really good terms right now. You know, as friends. Nothing else."

"Are you sure about that?" Jinsoul asked suspiciously, not buying the act. "Because you're acting off."

"Yes, there's nothing going on!" 

Everyone else looked at each other then at Heejin and Hyunjin with a deadpan expression. Hyunjin looked at Heejin, with an expecting expression and then facepalmed. 

"Right..."

Eventually, Heejin and Hyunjin got ready to leave for the night. The others were still suspicious, already knowing that there was something going on. But, they knew that those two would not admit it.

At least, that is what they thought.

"We'll see you guys soon." Hyunjin said, waving then farewell. Then, as if trying to make a point, cupped Heejin's face and pecked her lips. Heejin stood there, face red and completely speechless.

"Ready to go, baby?" Hyunjin said flirtatiously, putting emphasis on the last word. 

"Uh..."

Heejin looked at the others, who had faces of amusement - especially Jungeun, who was busy laughing. Hyunjin held Heejin's hand and dragged her out the door, winking at the others as they left. Chaewon shut the door when the left.

Jungeun snickered. "Told you."

***

Chaewon shut off the bedroom light and go into bed, laying right next to a partly asleep Hyejoo. She turned over in bed to face Hyejoo, whose eyes were hooded. They stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes, not saying a word. Instead, Chaewon heard a soft voice ring in her head.

*'Are you feeling better, babygirl?...'*

*'I'm feeling better.'* Chaewon nodded. *'Sorry for getting so upset.'*

*'You don't need to apologize. You were frustrated and that's understandable. I get that you're not used to all this and that it seems like you were forced into something you don't yet understand. So, it's fine if you get upset.'*

*'I just wished someone could just tell us what's going on. I feel like the answer is right in front of us but I just don't where to look.'*

*'I'm sure it is. What about that woman from your dreams?'*

*'Hasn't shown up since that night.'*

Hyejoo hummed and brought her hand up to Chaewon's face. She took strands of Chaewon's hair and moved it behind her ear, not breaking eye contact. She then caressed the now bare cheek.

*'What are you doing?...'*

*'I don't know... It was just instinct...'* 

*'Hyejoo?...'*

*'Yes babygirl?...'*

*'I know this is an awkward time but I got call from my mother the other day and...she was asking about me.'*

*'What about?'*

*'Just common questions like how in doing or what I'm up to these days. But then they asked if I found a girlfriend. I said yes and then I told them about you. Not about you being a hybrid, but everything else. They seem to really like you.'*

*'That's nice. I'm glad you were able to tell them.'*

*'Thanks. But then they asked if they could meet you...and I might have said they could come over the Saturday after next...'*

Hyejoo chuckled in her thoughts as her eyes became crescents.

*'Sure. I wouldn't mind meeting your parents.'*

*'Really?'* Chaewon's face lit up. *'Thanks!'*

*'Anytime.'*

*'Also one more thing.'*

*'Yeah?'*

Chaewon cleared her throat.

"Are we going to keep using telepathy to speak?" Chaewon said out loud.

Both of them laughed breathlessly.

"I just kept it going because you were."

"I just kept it going because you started it!" Chaewon continue to laugh. 

"Fine, I'll take the blame." Hyejoo gave in jokingly. "Now, you should sleep."

"No..." Chaewon whined. "Why do I have to?.."

"Because, you have work tomorrow. I don't want to have to literally pull you out of bed in the morning."

"But...what if I don't want to?"

Hyejoo wrapped her arms around Chaewon's waist and pulled her close to her body. Hyejoo then turned over until she was laying on her back and Chaewon was laying on her stomach on top of her. She kept her arms tightly in place, keeping Chaewon from trying to free herself.

"Let me go!" Chaewon exclaimed, trying to pull away by pushing herself up with her arms on either side of Hyejoo.

"But...what if I don't want to?..." Hyejoo sang mockingly.

"I hate you..." Chaewon pouted, giving up and laid her head on Hyejoo's chest. 

"You and I both know that's a lie..." 

Hyejoo began peppering kisses all over Chaewon's face, starting from her forehead, her cheeks, and then ended with her pouting lips. Chaewon trying to keep looking annoyed, but ended up blushing and giggling softly. 

"I thought you said I should sleep? I can't sleep if you keep kissing me..."

Hyejoo chuckled lightly, pressed one last kiss on Chaewon's lips, and closed her eyes to sleep.

"Hey, I can't sleep like this..."

"Yes you can. You're just embarrassed that you like this." Hyejoo teased, eyes remaining closed.

Chaewon tried to retort this, but even she knew deep down that it was true. She gave in and relaxed, trying to fall into slumber.

"Good night."

"Good night, Hyejoo."

Turned out that it would not take long for her to fall asleep. As Hyejoo began to subconsciously using her thumb to caress a small area of her back, Chaewon felt herself drifting off instantly. 

***

Yerim took one last look at the bandages on her shoulder through the mirror. She pulled the sweater over it and sighed. She then analyzed the injuries on her chin, making sure it has fully healed. Yerim also made sure to put makeup over the area as to not raise suspicion. With a final sigh, Yerim put on her jacket and grabbed her purse.

"Hey Yerim!" 

Yeojin burst into Yerim's room without knocking. Yerim's lips quickly grew a stiff smile.

"Yeojin!" Yerim tried to sound positive. "Shouldn't you be already out to work?"

"I should, but I messed up on cooking breakfast so I had to make it all over again!" Yeojin exclaimed, not noticing the stiffness in her girlfriend's voice. "I thought I could say goodbye before I left!"

"Oh okay! Well I was going to leave now so..."

"Aw, okay! Let me hug you goodbye first!"

Now, Yerim and Yeojin always had a certain way of hugging. Since Yeojin was shorter than Yerim, she would always jump up and wrapped her arms around Yerim's neck while Yerim would catch her and hug her by her waist. So when Yerim saw Yeojin opening her arms, she partly panicked. But, it was too late to react. 

As Yeojin wrapped her arms around Yerim's neck, she pressed down on the certain part of her shoulder that was injured. Yerim exclaimed from the pain and shoved Yeojin away.

"Ah, Yeojin!" Yerim rubbed the area that was now throbbing in pain. 

"What's wrong? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Yeojin asked multiple questions, looking at Yerim worriedly.

"Don't worry, I'm okay! Just sore from an injury..."

"An injury?? Yerim, did someone hurt you?? Because I'll hurt them back for you!"

"Uh..." Yerim shook her head. "No! I just slept wrong last night and it hurt my shoulder! No big deal!"

"Oh, so it was the bed's fault?"

"Well-"

Yeojin walked over to the bed, picked up a pillow, and began to hit the mattress with it.

"How dare you hurt my girlfriend, you meanie!" Yeojin pronounced each syllable every time she hit the mattress. "Don't do it again!"

Yerim had to admit that the scene before her was extremely adorable. Then again, everything Yeojin did was adorable even when she was not trying.

But Yerim knew that she had to be careful from now on. She could not let Yeojin know what happened to her. She could not risk Yeojin getting hurt by Minji or anyone else.

"Um, Yeojin, I have to go now so.."

"Oh, sorry!" Yeojin took one last hit and set the pillow down. "Alright, let's go!"

Yerim and Yeojin walked out of the apartment building and parted ways while saying goodbye. As Yerim walked down the street, she could feel a buzz in her pocket. Pulling out the phone, she saw a text from Jiwoo that read:

\-- Hey baby! Please cover for me again if Sooyoung calls! I'll take you out Saturday to make up for it! Thanks, love! --

Yerim sighed as she slid her phone back into her pocket. At this point it is obvious that Jiwoo was in some sort of trouble. Even if she could not get the other's help, Yerim would have to save her on her own. How? Yerim had not idea. Telling Jiwoo would be risky, so she would have to look for an alternative. 

Either way, Yerim was not going to let any of her friends get hurt.

***

"Hey, Gahyeon? Can I ask you a question?" 

"Sure, what's up?"

Jiwoo was sitting in the passengers seat while Gahyeon was occupied with driving. They had been driving for the past hour. Jiwoo wondered where they were going since Gahyeon refused to tell her. However, Jiwoo trusted her friend dearly so she had no worries.

"I was wondering if I can tell my friends about what I saw the other day!"

"Why?" 

"Because they're also trying to solve the situation!" Jiwoo explained. "They've been trying for months and I think it could help them out! I know you said not to tell anyone but-"

"No, Jiwoo." Gahyeon said sternly. "What we talk about or anything we discover must stay between us. You don't know who is out there trying to use the information for wrongdoings."

"But my friends aren't bad!" Jiwoo retorted. "I've been friends with Chaewon for most of my life and she's a sweetheart! I've also known Hyunjin for years too! And then the hybrids I met are all such kindhearted people! I trust them!"

"First off, they don't have experience in this, my friends and I have done this for years. Second of all, Jiwoo, do you really trust hybrids you just met?"

"Uh, yeah? Why wouldn't I trust them?"

"Oh, Jiwoo, you're so naive..." 

"What?"

"Jiwoo, there are hybrids out there who would love to use innocent humans like you for their own personal gain." Gahyeon started, slyness in her voice. "You never met these girls until months ago. You don't know their true intentions. Who knows, maybe that one girl is trying to seduce Chaewon. Plus, Sooyoung lied to you. You asked her multiple times for her to be honest, and it took her months to actually listen. She could be hiding more from you and you wouldn't know until it's too late."

"But-"

"Jiwoo, we've been friends since we were toddlers. We knew each other so well and I know what's best for you. Listen to me when I say that you can't trust anyone you just met, especially these days. They could blackmail you and threaten to hurt your friends, including me. You don't want your actual friends to get hurt because of you, do you?"

"Well, I...no but..." Jiwoo sputtered indecisively. "I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me but...what about my new hybrid friends? I just can't believe they're bad people. They said they want to save us all so..."

"Are you going trust people you've met months ago or your true friend you've known first And for most of your life? Because I think the answer is pretty obvious if you ask me."

Jiwoo sat back in her seat and huffed. Part of her could not believe that any of her hybrid friends or her girlfriend were out to harm her. Up until this point, they have never done anything that would warrant suspicion. But then, Jiwoo knew that Gahyeon had a point. She did not want to pick sides, but how could she just betray her longest friend's trust?

Jiwoo's thoughts were interrupted by the car coming to a stop. Looking out the window, Jiwoo saw that they were in front of this restaurant. They looked to be in the middle of nowhere with no other people or shops. 

"Come on, Jiwoo. We have to make this quick." Gahyeon demanded, getting out of the car.

"Coming!" 

Jiwoo got out the car, shut the door, and followed close behind Gahyeon. They stepped into the restaurant and immediately went up to the counter. A woman was sitting on the other side of it, busy on her phone. She had bright blonde hair with bangs and brown eyes. As soon as Gahyeon placed her hand on top of the counter, the woman looked at them. When her eyes gravitated towards Jiwoo, the woman's lips stretched into a subtle smirk.

"It's good to see you again." The woman spoke up. "You planning on staying here for more than a minute?"

"Not today, Yoohyeon. I gotta check on something real quick."

"Of course you do. When do you ever have time for your friends? I guess that posh life makes you too good for us."

"Can we not talk about that in front of Jiwoo?" 

"So this is the pretty little princess you work for?" Yoohyeon's eyes gazed upon her, checking her out. "She's cute. Maybe we could keep her around for a while. She would be fun to toy around with."

Jiwoo choked. "Wait, no I -"

"She's taken." Gahyeon said bluntly, staring Yoohyeon down. "Don't try anything."

"By you?"

Gahyeon raised her eyebrows repeatedly, trying to signal something to Yoohyeon. It took Yoohyeon a while but then she made a noise of understanding and snickered.

"Ah, right. Got it." 

"So, can you let us in?"

Yoohyeon complied and stood up from her seat. She walked over to a mat that was on the floor and pulled it back. Then, she pulled out a key out of her pocket and inserted it into the tiny hole in the ground. The certain area on the ground suddenly faded away, revealing a staircase that led downward.

Jiwoo bent down to see what was inside the hole, but all she saw was the staircase leading into nothingness. It was pitch black and Jiwoo could not see the bottom of the steps. 

Suddenly, Jiwoo felt hands grab her shoulders. It took her by surprise and made her jump as a result. 

"Be careful down there." Yoohyeon warned, mouth up to her ear. "You don't want to get hurt."

"Uh, thank you?" Jiwoo responded, confused by her demeanor. 

Gahyeon groaned before grabbing Jiwoo's hand and leading her down the steps.

"Don't worry about her, Jiwoo. She's always this strange with everyone." Gahyeon reassured as they were walking down the steps, far from the top. "Just stay close to me and you will be safe."

"Uh, okay! I will!" 

After a minute, they reached the bottom of the stairs. There was no light, causing Jiwoo to not even be able to see Gahyeon. Luckily, Gahyeon had found the light switch and the lights were turned on. As the area became illuminated, Jiwoo noted that they were in a hallway. Gahyeon continued to guide her down this hallway until they reached a door at the very end. 

"So... why are we here again?" Jiwoo warily looked at the door.

"I need something here that will help you with your next task." 

Gahyeon opened the door and the two of them entered. It was a small room, with a lot of shelves and drawers. It looked similar to an office and was littered with papers and spare items. 

"Next task?..." 

"Mhm. You didn't think you were done, right?"

Gahyeon went behind the desk and searched through the drawers.

"Well, I just thought that was all I needed..."

"That was a start but is certainly not enough." Gahyeon explained. "There are still those out there that are still out to harm hybrids and humans alike. So now...we need more personal information."

Gahyeon pulled out a necklace from one of the drawers and revealed it to Jiwoo. It had a emerald gem attached to it. Looking at it, Jiwoo saw some familiarity with the necklace, but she could not put her finger on it.

"So, about your girlfriend..."

"What about her?"

"You told me that she knows so much about that cult, huh?" Gahyeon chuckled, almost sinisterly, and sauntered over to Jiwoo. "Well, how about we find out everything she knows?"

"What are you-" Jiwoo stepped back, but Gahyeon only got closer. "What does the SRPC have to do with Sooyoung?"

"Nothing, but we might as well kill two birds with one stone. Listen," Gahyeon moves swiftly behind Jiwoo, sliding her empty hand on Jiwoo's shoulder and whispering close to her ear. "Sooyoung knows a lot more than you think. She's already lied to you before, so what's stopping her from doing it again. She could be plotting to harm you and you wouldn't even know it. Think about it - why is she dating you in the first place? She came here while she was still in that cult, then soon after started dating you. What does that tell you?..."

"Uh, well Sooyoung did say that at first she was sent by the cult but she said she stopped trying when she fell in love with me..."

"Jiwoo, don't be naive. How do you know she still isn't planning anything? Keep in mind that she's still going there, right? Who knows what they talk about. You are such an easy target since your parents are so close to the top. You just met Sooyoung months ago. Do you really think she just "fell in love with you" and it just changed her?"

"But everyone changes.." Jiwoo tried to argue, trying to move out of Gahyeon's grasp.

"Sweetheart, do you know what type of hybrid Sooyoung is? Did she ever tell you?"

"Uh, no..."

"See, that's your first red flag." Gahyeon's voice became lower. "She's a death dragon. And you know what they do? Look at the name. She comes from a dimension is littered with criminals and degenerates. Even her parents were scumbags - especially her father. Trust me, you should see his track record of all the humans he's murdered. It's a spectacle."

"But, that doesn't mean that she's like that..."

"Really?"

Gahyeon pulled away and went to one of the drawers. Searching briefly, she pulled at a red folder. Gahyeon stretched her arm to hand it to Jiwoo, who looked at her confusedly.

"Take it." Gahyeon demanded, an eyebrow raised. "Make sure to read every detail. I think it will show you a new side of your precious girlfriend."

Jiwoo stared at the folder that dangled in Gahyeon's hand. She did not know what Gahyeon was trying to prove. Jiwoo trusted Sooyoung, and nothing would get in the way of that. However, she had a feeling that whatever was inside the folder would be information Jiwoo was not prepared for.

"Come on, Jiwoo. What are you afraid of?" Gahyeon teased, moving the folder closer like she was luring her with tempting bait.

Jiwoo ended up taking the bait and took the folder hesitantly out of Gahyeon's hand. Her heart pounded faster as her fingers slowly opened the red folder. Opening the folder, Jiwoo's eyes immediately caught onto a face of a woman. It included several information on the paper that made it appear like a profile. Then, in the corner written in red ink, there was a date written on it.

"September 21st 2020?" Jiwoo read out, looking at Gahyeon for an answer.

"That was the day this lady went missing and was brutally murdered. And take a wild guess who committed that by." Gahyeon chuckled sinisterly. 

Jiwoo's eyes widened when she realized what Gahyeon was hinting at. But what confirmed it for her was a photo that was pinned in the other corner of the paper. It was clear photo of Sooyoung, holding a bloody knife. She was kneeling over a body, that appeared to like the woman in the profile but all gashed up and lifeless.

"No...It can't..."

"Yes, it is. Flip through some more. There's more where that came from."

Jiwoo did just that. The more she slipped through the profiles and saw the photo of Sooyoung with them, the more sick to her stomach she was. Her heart was practically racing at this point, body trembling from fear. She did not want to believe it, but what other alternative explanation was there? Sooyoung had told her that she only took part in the cult to a minimal extent but now that was proven false. It got even more gruesome when some photos even had Sooyoung partly in her dragon form, claws painted with the dark red liquid. Jiwoo wanted to look away, but her eyes were glued to the papers that seemed endless. 

"N-No... Why would she do that to..." Jiwoo's eyes filled up with fresh tears than was threatening to run down her cheeks. 

"Oh, but you haven't seen the best part." Gahyeon took out one more sheet of paper from the drawer. 

"Wh-What?" Jiwoo stuttered, unsure how this could possibly get worse.

"You see, a while ago, Sooyoung was ordered to stalk around a few people and one of them is someone you know. She was tasked to bring her to Korea and deal with her accordingly. Well, she had to bring this certain girl here first, but this girl would not just leave Hong Kong just out of nowhere. So, Sooyoung had to come up a certain plan. Make her fall in love with her and convince her to come to Korea."

Gahyeon began to walk circles around Jiwoo, eyeing her to watch her reaction. Jiwoo's head was down as she tried to follow the new information she was hearing.

"Now, that became much easier once that certain woman's brother died. That woman was blamed for his death, when it all did to his medical condition and the parents' negligence. After they met years after this incident, the woman found refuge in Sooyoung and followed her back to Korea. Once there, the plan was to kidnap and bribe her wealthy parents into giving anything that the cult needed. However, there was a...slight change in plan and the woman was ordered to be killed. Then the woman broke up with Sooyoung and slipped away. They almost got her a couple of times, including Sooyoung, but never got close. Recently, she was found and, well, I know you know the rest. Because I think this woman is quite familiar to you..."

Gahyeon handed Jiwoo the paper. Jiwoo, still with teary eyes, lifted the paper to see whoever it was. As soon as her eyes gazed upon the picture of a pink haired woman, Jiwoo audibly gasped and stared in horror.

"Hm, I presume that you know her, right?" 

Jiwoo did not respond. She was in so much shock that she was left speechless and let the paper slip out of her hands. Jiwoo felt like a knife was stabbing her in the chest as the pain on her heart increased. She could not believe that this was real - but it was obviously neither a dream nor nightmare. All the pictures she saw was imbedded into the head, torturing her thoughts. It was like the whole world had stopped. Everything felt like a lie or an illusion that had manifested for these last few months. Everything felt like it was shattering around her, shards of glass cutting into her. Everything just felt...simply broken. 

Jiwoo saw a shimmer flash in her eye and looked to see the necklace dangling in front of her. Gahyeon had gotten behind Jiwoo again, same position except the hand that was originally on her shoulder and slid down to firmly grasp her waist. 

"You were already hurt by another girlfriend before her. I'm not doing this to hurt you, but simply to save you from more damage. Personally, I wanted to believe Sooyoung was not out to hurt you but then I realize that people with these capabilities can't be trusted. You are too good of person to let someone like that take up anymore of your time and sympathy. So," Gahyeon began swinging the necklace from side to side temptingly. "will you help me?"

Jiwoo's eyes followed the gem, completely entranced. Her mind had been made up. She was done with being the pushover and letting people into her heart that do not deserve it. As the final tear fell, Jiwoo's melancholy had converted into rage. Her fists clenched and gave a firm nod. Nothing would convince her out of this decision.

"What do you want me to do?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 16! This was a heavy chapter. The beginning was rough to write, however necessary to not only show a small snippet of the cult's immoral behavior but it will also affect how Yerim will carry herself for the rest of this story. We also have Haseul announcing her departure from Earth, which Kahei is pretty bummed about. However, if you think that's the end of Haseul, (spoiler alert) it's not. More discussion about what happened with Chaewon in the previous chapter, as well as a cute HyeWon scene. But then the ending. Jiwoo is getting to see what Sooyoung's past was like, which of course she is not anywhere near content with. Although, I want to stress that Jiwoo is not becoming an antagonist. Every action following this chapter is out of self-defense and fear, mixed in with a little rage. Lastly, I think you all know who that pink haired girl is....(and, no, not Sana xd)
> 
> Tell me what you think of this chapter!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	17. 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> all you ever say is how simple you are.  
> but you don't see how special you actually are.  
> you see yourself as not worthy.  
> but I see you worthy of everything.  
> I regret not telling you sooner,  
> since I had wasted precious time  
> but if we ever meet again  
> I know that  
> 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"Keep those eyes closed."

Kahei opened the door to her apartment. 

Haseul walked carefully and minded her steps as she tried to follow Kahei's voice blindly. She did not know where she was - since she has kept her eyes closed for about ten minutes - but she assumed that they were entering a door. 

"Have we made it yet?" 

"Hold on. Just give me a few seconds."

Kahei walked over to the counter to pick up something. After examining it, she walked back to Haseul with it in her hands.

"Okay! Open your eyes."

Haseul did as she was told and opened her eyes. Several familiar faces jumped out from behind couches and yelled out:

"Surprise!!" 

Haseul stepped back and looked at everyone, dumbfounded.

"What is this?..."

"A surprise party, silly!" Yeojin giggled, stepping from behind the couch. "What else could it be?"

"A... surprise party? I do not know what that is.."

"Oh, right!" Jungeun walked over to Haseul, laughing at her confused expression. "It's like a party, you know like a celebration with friends! But then, it's also a surprise for the person the party is for! In this case, it's you!"

"A celebration? But what are we celebrating?"

"Well, I'm not sure "celebration" is the right word for this..." Jinsoul clarified. "More like a little get-together to say farewell."

"Kahei told us you were leaving." Hyejoo explained. "And that she wanted to do something for you. So, we came."

"B-But..."

"I wish all of us could be here." Chaewon spoke up. "But, Sooyoung and Jiwoo couldn't make it. But, they told me to give you this farewell card!"

Chaewon handed Haseul an envelope. Haseul torn it open and took the card. When she opened the card to read its contents, Haseul's eyes widened to the sincere words that were written. In summary, it said how much they would miss her and wished her safe travels. But how it was written and the diction used made it appear more heartfelt.

"I wish I could've given you a painting of you, but I'm hoping this will do!" 

Yerim handed Haseul a small canvas. On the artwork, there were several designs of a vast number of colors. There were flowers, butterflies, and several spring symbols. They all came together to form one phrase in the middle:

*Always With You*

"I made this a few months ago, but I thought you would like it! You could hang it on your wall or something! And then when you look at it, you can remember us!"

"I...do not know what to say..."

"Don't say anything then." Kahei smiled softly. "I just want you to enjoy your last evening with us."

"But, I do not deserve this. You already took me out for hours."

"Yes, but I wanted to something more for you. You told me yesterday that your home is lonely and it made me feel bad. So, since you won't see us for a while, I thought I would organize this for you last minute."

"Plus, you can't expect us to just let you go just like that." Hyunjin added. "Well, actually, Heejin can. I had to basically drag her over here."

"Hey, I wasn't planning on not saying goodbye! I just wished you could've told me before I went to take a nap." Heejin defended, crossing her arms. "My beauty sleep cannot be disturbed."

"Well, excuse me, your majesty." Hyunjin said sarcastically, eyes rolling. "Next time I'll make sure to abide by your schedule."

"Anyway, if you two are done flirting," Jinsoul interjected. "How about we actually allow Haseul to enjoy her last day on Earth?"

Kahei watched Haseul's eyes drift between each person in the room. Her lips were slightly parted and her hands gripped tightly onto the gifts she had been given. Gradually, her lips extended into a smile and her eyes squinted into crescents. Kahei had never seen Haseul look so jovial before.

"Thank you all. I appreciate you all for your compassion." Haseul said sincerely. "I will miss you all, truly."

"We will miss you too." Kahei grinned. "Now enjoy your farewell party."

And that was exactly what they did. It was not a loud or crazy party by any means. The entire time all ten of them were talking and watching movies. Haseul was never a party person, always choosing to be more reserved, so the party complimented that well. The important thing was that Haseul got enjoy her last day and everyone else could spend time with her.

Later, there was a knock on the door. 

"She's here!" Kahei announced, standing up suddenly from the couch. She pranced out of the living room and up to the door. 

"Who is here?" Haseul asked as she watched Kahei walk towards the door from her seat.

"You'll see!"

Kahei unlocked and opened the door. On the other side, there was a little girl that Haseul recognized. As soon as the little girl noticed her, she lit up and exclaimed:

"Haseul!!" 

"Y-Yuri?" Haseul stammered, flabbergasted at how the little girl was here. "What are you doing here?"

"Ms. Kahei told me that you're leaving Seoul!!" Yuri responded as she skipped over to Haseul. "And I want to say goodbye and give you this!"

Yuri revealed a sheet of paper from behind her back and gave it to Haseul. Haseul lifted the paper up to her face. It was a drawing of what appeared to be stick figures of herself and Yuri. They were holding hands and standing in a field of flowers. The drawing of Haseul included large wings, similar to the ones she had for the play. Everything looked to be colored in by crayons. And then, at the bottom of the page, there were words written with pink crayon:

*To My Best Friend*

"Do you like it??" Yuri asked repeatedly, jumping in place. "I spent the whole day working on it!"

"I love it." Haseul look up from the paper and nodded. "This is the best gift I have ever received. But... best friend?"

"Yeah, because you are!!" Yuri explained, as if pointing out the obvious. "You are so nice to me and I've never been this close to anyone before, not even my sister! So, you are my best friend!"

Haseul looked repeatedly between Yuri and the phrase written on the paper. From where Kahei was standing, she could see Haseul repeat the phrase a few times as if she was trying to process the words. Finally, Haseul looked back at Yuri with the brightest grin on her face.

"And you are my best friend too."

Yuri's smile grew and she had a bright twinkle in her eyes. She threw herself onto Haseul and wrapped her small arms around Haseul's neck, hugging her. Haseul took a while to react to the sudden embrace but once the realization hit her, she hugged her back. The first time Yuri hugged Haseul felt awkward, but this time it felt comforting.

Meanwhile, Kahei was watching the scene from afar and could not help the smile growing on her face. Her eyes were so fixed on it that she did not notice Jungeun standing next to her. 

"You did a good job." 

Kahei jumped and turned to Jungeun, who giggled at the reaction. 

"Good job? For what?"

"You have done something that most of us have tried and failed to do." Jungeun clarified. "Haseul has always been afraid of making relations with anyone. That is due to both the way she was brought up and what she suffered through into her adulthood. Even when we tried to break the barrier she created, we were always shut down. But you just...did it with ease. And, that is impressive."

"Well, I wouldn't say I broke a barrier." Kahei politely disagreed. "I just allowed her the chance to break it down once and a while. I don't expect her to become outgoing and to let go of whatever she's been through. She just seemed like she hammered it in her head that having the barrier all the time. I wanted to show her other alternatives. But, I don't want her to change for me or anyone else. I also want her to make her own decision on how to live her life, and that's why I'm okay with her wanting to leave."

"Well, whatever you did, it worked."

"Maybe."

Kahei turned back to Haseul, who now had Yuri sitting on her lap. They were laughing and appear to be in their own world. Kahei rarely saw Haseul smile this much, and seeing actually look so blissful was heartening. Then, it hit her. This would her last time she would be able to see Haseul consistently. Of course, Haseul said she would visit, but even that felt bittersweet. They had only known one another for a mere two months, but those two months were a changing point for her. Kahei could not properly describe her feelings, but understood that something about that time period was some sort of relief. Maybe they would have gotten better insight of each other if they had more time, but now it seemed too late.

Kahei's shoulders dropped and a melancholic feeling rushed over her. What if Haseul would never forget about her after leaving? It was only now that the worry of them never actually building a closer relation dawned on her.

"Are you okay? You look distracted." Jungeun asked, watching the conversion of Kahei's demeanor.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I guess I just feel... regretful."

"You know, I think Haseul needs someone like you. I know she's leaving and it mind seem like it's too late but I don't think you lost your chance."

Kahei glanced at Haseul and let out a sigh. "Maybe."

After about an hour, the "party" had died down and everyone got ready to leave. Yuri had to leave sooner as her sister was waiting for her outside, so Haseul had taken her to the sister's car. Later, everyone followed suit and said their last farewell to Haseul, wishing her safe travels. Eventually, it was just Kahei and Haseul left, preparing for what would happen next.

"You have everything, right?" Kahei asked, giving one last check of Haseul's luggage.

"I am certain I do." Haseul confirmed, folding her shirt before placing it in the bag. "No need for worry. You already asked ten times."

"Sorry." Kahei chuckled awkwardly as back away from the bag. 

Haseul finally zipped up her bag and carried it in her hand. Standing up from her crouched position, Haseul turned to Kahei readily.

"It is time for me to go." 

"Yeah, I guess it is..."

"I want to thank you for everything. I enjoyed my time on Earth, a lot more than I thought I would. I learned so much about this world and...even about myself. This was an unforgettable experience for me, and it is all credited to you."

"I didn't do much..." Kahei hesitated. "You came here to help me, so I wanted you to be as comfortable as possible. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, because I enjoyed having you around as well. I hope we get to have more moments like that in the future...."

"Of course we will. I will come back soon, once I settle some issues first. The sooner I leave, the sooner I will solve them and visit."

"Okay..."

Kahei tried to look supportive but she felt discontented over the whole situation. She did not know why she felt so distraught over Haseul leaving. Kahei wanted to persuade her to stay, but she forced herself to keep her mouth shut.

Then, something unexpected happened. While Kahei's eyes were fixed on the ground below her, she felt something wrap around her torso. Kahei then felt her body embrace into another as the arms surrounding her tightened. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. She lifted her head and saw that Haseul was the one bringing her close. As soon as Kahei noticed this, her heart started to race and her cheeks burned. It was the first time Kahei had any sort of physical contact with Haseul.

There were a lot of feelings that Kahei was experiencing. One was the warmth that Haseul radiated from her body, which was imitating a heated blanket against her. Another feeling was how delicate Haseul's arms rested on her hips and her fingers brush against her clothed skin. It seemed like Haseul was being gentle with her. As Kahei turned her head slightly, her face was an inch away from Haseul's neck. The scent of rosemary whiffed past her Kahei's nose and eased her instantly.

When the initial shock faded, Kahei felt an impulse to wrap her own arms around Haseul and hugged her back. They stayed in the same position for another half a minute as Haseul whispered words of gratitude into her ear. Everything about this moment was so surreal that Kahei knew the memory would stick in her brain for years to come.

"I promise I will come back just for you." Haseul whispered before pulling back from the embrace. "You have my word."

"I sure hope so." Kahei giggled, feeling more at ease. 

As they let go of each other, they both looked at each other for a few seconds. As Haseul kept her stare, her lips curled up into a smile and Kahei followed suit. With a nod, they said their final goodbyes and well wishes. Then, Kahei stepped back.

Haseul gave one last smile before her eyes fluttered shut. Her lips began to let out quiet murmurs, as if she was chanting something. Then, tiny sparkling lights surrounded the hybrid as the room began to slightly shake. Finally, a bright light filled up the room, causing Kahei to cover her eyes. After ten seconds, everything became still.

When Kahei uncovered her eyes, Haseul was nowhere to be seen. The realization hit her that it had been done. Haseul was gone.

Kahei sat on the bed Haseul used, now vacant, staring into space with a million thoughts rushing through her head. But she tried to suppress them all with main thought that Haseul would come back. How long until then? Kahei did not know. Maybe a week, or a month, or a year. Either way, Kahei remained patient for how long she would have to wait.

But Kahei did not realize that it was sooner than she thought.

***

"Are you certain you want to do this?" Jinsoul asked, throwing on the hood on her jacket. 

"Yeah, I'm sure. I have to do this." Hyejoo confirmed, putting on her black jacket.

The next day after the discussion about Chaewon's vision, Hyejoo began to thought up ways for how they could find the remaining objects. At first, she was stumped on where to go next, but then an idea came to mind. If her mother was truly involved, then it was possible that she would have something that would be significant to the situation. Maybe Hyejoo's mother would have even a clue on how to solve this mystery. 

Obviously, Hyejoo's mother was dead, but all was not lost. After her mother had died, Hyejoo's father had taken her belongings and threw it all inside a shed in the back of their house. Hyejoo would sometimes go their and go through the items, using them as a way to keep her connection with her mother. Looking back on it, Hyejoo theorized that one of those belongings could trigger Chaewon's visions. It made sense in her head, but she hoped it would turn out as well. 

Even though it seemed straightforward, there was the slight chance that Hyejoo's father would be there. Jinsoul warned her of this, suggesting that they go through with another option. However, Hyejoo combatted this, reasoning that they had no other choice. There were no other leads and Sana was not giving them any assistance so this was the most probable option. Hopefully, either Hyejoo's father would not be there or he would not notice them sneaking into the shed. 

Another risk of this mission would be the society Hyejoo lived in. Ardor, which was the dimension of the flame dragons, were not as open to outsiders. They had manifested hostility towards humans and were not afraid of acting upon it. Many humans who come to Ardor do not make it out, as most of them are either kidnapped or killed. Chaewon had to come with them so they could test which object would trigger her visions, so they had to be careful. They would have to blend in in order to not raise suspicion. 

Everything about this was risky, but Hyejoo was willing to do anything so they could finally get an explanation. She was heartbroken to see Chaewon get stressed over the whole situation, which gave Hyejoo the drive to go through with the mission. In addition, it was possible that all of this had something to do with the cult's intentions. So the sooner, the better.

"Alright, then let's make this quick." Jinsoul concluded.

"I'm ready!"

Hyejoo turned around when she heard Chaewon's voice. When Hyejoo's eyes fell on Chaewon, her heart skipping a beat and her lips were slightly parted. Chaewon was wearing all black clothing, which was a large contrast from her usual pastel and colorful style. Since wearing bright colors would stand out in Ardor, Hyejoo suggested that they all should wear dark colors. Chaewon said she had bought darker colored clothes earlier in the week since her wardrobe did not consist of any, but Hyejoo did not think much of it. 

However, seeing Chaewon standing there with tight jeans, leather jacket, and biker boots - all of which were jet black - made Hyejoo completely speechless. In addition to the whole outfit, Chaewon's blonde hair were neatly tied into two pigtails. In all of Hyejoo's life, she had never seen someone look both adorable and bewitching at the same time. 

"Do I look okay?" Chaewon asked, noticing Hyejoo's fixed eyes on her. "I'm not used to wearing these kinds of clothes so I'm not sure if this looks good."

"Y-You look...perfect." Hyejoo stammered out, still entranced. "You should dress like this more often. It's beautiful on you..."

Chaewon immediately blushed at the compliment and became shy. 

"Th-Thanks..."

"You guys are so disgusting that I swear I'm going to die from it at this point." Jinsoul said, half jokingly. 

Just as this was said, Jungeun walked out of the bedroom. She wore all black - just like everyone else - but instead of a jacket she had on a crop top that revealed her midriff and abs. 

Jinsoul choked and her jaw slacked. Her eyes wandered along her wife's body, stuck in awe.

"How do I look, honey?" Jungeun teased, hands on her hips and eyebrows raised. 

"U-Uh, yeah! You look gorgeous, babe..." Jinsoul laughed awkwardly with a blush on her face.

"Hypocrite." Hyejoo criticized, watching the scene with disgust. 

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Jinsoul - who was standing closest to the door - was knocked out of her trance. She opened the door.

"You guys weren't going to leave without us this time." Heejin stated as the door swung open. 

Both Heejin and Hyunjin stood there, wearing black like everyone else in the apartment. They had their arms crossed as if they were disappointed.

"How did you know that we were going anywhere?" Jinsoul asked. "And how did you know what to wear?"

"Chaewon told us." Hyunjin responded.

Everyone turned their heads towards Chaewon, who was standing there sheepishly.

"I'm sorry!" Chaewon laughed awkwardly. "Heejin texted me the other day and asked me when was the next time we were going anywhere. She kept begging me so I caved!"

"It's okay, Chaewon." Jinsoul reassured before turning back to the duo. "Heejin is too annoying sometimes to ignore, anyway."

"Well, what can I say? It's an advantage in these cases." Heejin shrugged. 

"Look, you guys can come but you guys have to be vigilant while we're there." Hyejoo warned. "Not only are flame dragons willing to attack humans, but they are very territorial against other types. We have to watch our backs if we want to make it out unscathed. Plus, if my father sees you guys, we would all be dead."

"Don't worry, we understand." Hyunjin affirmed. "We're prepared for anything."

Hyejoo was concerned for her girlfriend's and friends's safety. Leaving Ardor was the one of the best decisions Hyejoo had ever made. With all that she had been through, Hyejoo would never want anyone to go there under any circumstances. If it were up to her, Hyejoo would have went by herself. But, she hoped that everything goes as planned.

The teleported soon after this conversation, bracing themselves for what was to come. As the room trembled in the middle of the transversion, Hyejoo gulped and clutched tightly onto Chaewon's hand as she became fearful of what she would open her eyes to.

The moment the shaking stopped, all of their eyes slowly opened. The first thing they noticed is that they were in middle of a village - similar to Jungeun's home - with barely anyone outside. The second was the eerie atmosphere, with cloudy skies and the ghostly sensation that the dull color palette that the area possessed. The final thing they noticed was the gloomy expression on the few people's faces. Even with the ten or so people that were around, their fixed eyes on the six of them were noticable. 

Even after it was almost minute after that had teleported, the citizens still kept a side eye on the group as if they are expecting something. 

"They don't look very... welcoming." Chaewon commented, clinging to Hyejoo out of worry. "Did we do something wrong?"

"They're like this with everyone, don't worry." Hyejoo reassured, letting her arm rest around Chaewon's waist. "If they don't know you, they see you as an enemy. As long as you don't confront them, they won't bother you."

"We should probably get going then." Jinsoul suggested. "Where do we go, Hyejoo?"

"That way." Hyejoo pointed in a certain direction. "It's a ten minute walk."

"Let's go then."

"Yeah, before someone gets impatient with us." Jungeun agreed, noticing a hybrid growling at them.

The walk through this village was vastly different from the one in Alirtura. While there were a lot of eye-catching attractions in Jungeun's dimension, this dimension had nothing about its surroundings that stood out. Everything was practically the same hue. Not only that, but every they came across had the same reaction: aggravation. All the citizens looked like the group had done something to hurt them and treated the group as such. 

The farther they walked, Hyejoo's arm that rested on Chaewon's waist tighten as she brought her girlfriend closer. It seemed like instinct to keep her safe, ever since the day they met. But now - with all the possible dangerous hybrids around - Hyejoo was feeling even more protective over her vulnerable lover. 

Hyejoo finally stopped in her tracks in front of this large house. This house was at a distance away from other houses and was closer to a large forest behind it. The house looked like it had not been occupied in years, as there was cobwebs and was battered in a few places. 

"Here we are." Hyejoo announced with a sigh. "My old home."

"It looks like no one has been here in years." Heejin commented. "You think your dad is still living here?"

"I bet he is. He's lazy enough to let out house become this way."

"Let's head to that shed then." Jinsoul instructed.

They headed to the back of the house without any delay. When they got there, Hyejoo noted that the shed looked the same as she last saw it. It was a small shed, made out of wood and dusty looking. 

Hyejoo reached into her pocket and pulled out a rusty grey key. Before Hyejoo had left Ardor, she made sure to keep this key with her in case she wanted to come back here. She worried that her father would take away the key and Hyejoo would not be able to see her mother's belongings. She did not expect to be back so soon, but here she was.

Hyejoo inserted the key into the lock and turned it. She then pushed open the sturdy door, that made a creaking noise as it swung open. They entered the shed and we're immediately greeted by a variety of objects. The objects included clothing, jewelry, and ton of boxes scattering the place. There was so much stuff that the group did not know where to start.

"So, where do you think we should start looking?" Hyunjin asked. 

"I don't know." Jinsoul replied. "The first object was a hair bow, so it could be anything. That is, if it's in here."

"Well, the first object was a hair bow because that's how Hyejoo's mother and Haeun met." Chaewon started to theorize. "So, maybe the next object is how they became closer together."

"Well, that could be anything!" Heejin stated. "They could've bonded over a hot dog, we don't know!"

"Then," Hyejoo shut the door behind them. "We have to get started."

"Let's do this!" Jungeun announced eagerly. "Besides, with the six of us, it shouldn't take that long."

Turned out it would take longer than they expected.

They did not realize how much belongings Hyejoo's mother had until they started to go through all the boxes. There were hundreds of items everywhere, which they had already spent an hour going through. Not only that, but every object they found had be touched by Chaewon to see if it would trigger anything, which added more time. 

"What about this?" Hyunjin asked, as handed a hand mirror over to Chaewon.

Chaewon grabbed the hand mirror and held for a few seconds before shaking her head.

"No, nothing."

"How about this?" Hyunjin gave Chaewon a hair brush.

"Nope." Chaewon sighed, holding it in her hand.

"Ugh, why can't we find it??" Hyejoo groaned, shutting the box sternly. "This is going to take for hours!"

"Well what did you expect?" Jinsoul asked. "There's only one object in a sea of hundreds. We could be here all day."

"Hey, I got an idea!"

Heejin opened one of the boxes. She then began moving her fingers of both hands in a certain pattern, and the effects was immediate. Suddenly, a book levitated out of the box until it was Chaewon's eye level. Following the book, all of the objects flew out of the box and formed a line across the shed. There was wind surrounding each object, allowing the stay afloat.

"There, now you can just go through them one by one quicker." Heejin announced, her fingers still moving in the same patterns.

Everyone stared at Heejin, completely dumbfounded.

"Heejin, why didn't do that sooner?" Hyunjin asked, arms crossed.

"Yeah, we really needed that, like, over an hour ago??" Hyejoo exclaimed in frustration.

"Sorry, I forgot that I could do that." Heejin shrugged. "Also, when you've lived on Earth for months and are not allowed to use magic you kinda forget a few things."

"It's okay! Let's just go through them all!" Chaewon smiled due to the new motivation. "At least now this will go faster."

Heejin's method worked perfectly as planned. Chaewon was able to just walk down the line of objects and touch each one, which saved up so much time.

Eventually, they made it one of the final boxes. At this point, they were beginning to lose hope that the object would be here.

"No. Nope. Nothing." Chaewon repeatedly would say as she went down the line. 

"What if it's not in here?" Hyejoo asked worriedly. "What if this was all for nothing?"

"Hey, don't lose hope just yet." Jungeun reassured, put a supportive hand on Hyejoo's shoulder. "There's still more boxes. And if you're confident that it's here, then it will be."

"Yeah, and besides, if it's not here then there's no other options." Jinsoul agreed, sighing. 

Then with all the no's that they had heard for the past hour, there was suddenly silence. Everyone had to Chaewon to see why she stopped speaking and their eyes widened. Chaewon was standing there motionless, eyes completely white and mouth parted. In her hand was a quill, a pure white feather with a golden stem. 

"Looks like we found it." Hyunjin commented, stepping closer to Chaewon. "This is what happened last time, right?"

"Yeah."

Hyejoo walked over to Chaewon, standing completely face to face with her. She watched her blank expression with curious eyes. Without much thought, her hand lifted and grazed against Chaewon's cheek, thumb caressing it delicately. 

"I hope you're okay..."

***

Chaewon gasped as her eyes flew open. She was panting heavily for a while before her senses finally came back to her. When her hearing came intact, Chaewon could hear birds chirping from the high trees. When her body was no longer numb, she could feel something brushed against her hands. Looking downwards, Chaewon noticed that was she sitting on a bed of grass. 

When the fully scene flooded her vision, Chaewon saw that she was in a forest. All of her surroundings consisted of mostly a shade of green, with warm color accents. The sun was also falling in the horizon, hues of pink, yellow and purple gracing the sky. It was like a scene from a painting. 

Just as Chaewon was taking in the scenery, her ears picked up voices coming from behind. She got up off the ground and walked a few feet until the voices became more comprehensible. Chaewon looked past a tree to see two women sitting on the forest floor. They were chatting and giggling, as well as showing physical affection every once in a while. When Chaewon could see their faces, she immediately recognized them as the two little girls from her first vision. 

They had grown by a few years, looking like teenagers now. Haeun wore long, white and sleeveless dress with gold embroidery. Her hair was grown out long, her blonde locks laying mostly against the grass. Meanwhile, Mi-Sun's dress was much more simple and not nearly as long. She wore a dress-like tunic with a burgundy color. Mi-Sun's hair was also cut short, her black locks reaching only to her shoulders. 

The more Chaewon stared at the two women, she realized that they looked so familiar. Then as her eyes traced the details on each of their faces, it dawned on her and she gasped.

They looked like herself and Hyejoo. Hyejoo looked like Mi-Sun, which made sense since Hyejoo is her daughter. But Haeun strangely looked like herself. Watching these two interact, Chaewon saw herself and Hyejoo interacting instead. It was like witnessing a recording of the two of them instead of two other women from the past.

*"Stop distracting me, Mi-Sun."* Haeun spoke up, playfully trying to shove the other woman away. 

*"Why the serious tone, my angel? Have you not been focusing through this hour long session?"*

*"I am afraid not due to your playful antics."*

*"I apologise, love."* Mi-Sun chuckled. 

*"I suppose your apology shall be accepted as long as you no longer interrupt my focus."*

Mi-Sun shuffled closer into Haeun, arms around the blonde's waist and head resting on her shoulder.

*"What is drawing your attention from me, princess?"*

*"I am attempting to complete a novel. I have indulged myself in literature these past few moons and it has inspired me to spawn my own body of work."*

*"May I take a glimpse at your work? I am certain that it is impeccable coming from you."*

*"You may."*

Haeun lifted a journal off of her lap and showed it to Mi-Sun. As she lifted her hand, Chaewon noticed an object. It was a quill pen, the same one that Chaewon had held to trigger this vision. 

Mi-Sun stared at the pages for a while, reading through its contents.

*"My, you are truly gifted in literature. Only with these few pages that I could feel so captivated. The emotions the diction creates is fascinating."*

*"You are always too kind. I am not deserving of such praise."*

*"Nonsense. You deserve all the praises for your talent. This is your first body of work, yes?"*

*"Yes, it is."*

*"Then you were blessed from birth with this ability."*

Haeun blushed. *"Thank you..."*

After this, Haeun continued to write while Mi-Sun stayed close by her side. Every once in a while, Mi-Sun would kiss Haeun's cheek while whispering praises into her ear. This made Chaewon assume that these two might be dating - meaning that their original theory was correct. 

*"Haeun, may I ask you a question?"*

*"You may."*

*"Do you feel what I feel?"*

*"What are you referring to?"*

*"It is difficult to describe. The bond we have feels peculiar. When I hear your voice, it resembles angels singing from heaven. When I look into your eyes, I feel myself fall into s trance. When we touch, my heart races and a warmth consumes my body. Every moment I spend with you is a blessing. I do not feel this way with any other hybrid, only you."*

*"Oh my, this feeling is mutual?"* Haeun exclaimed, gasping.

*"You feel the same?"*

*"Everyday since I was graced by your presence. When we met in the gardens, I had a warm sensation take over me. Every feeling you described is mutual, yes. I was lost on how to communicate my thoughts."*

*"What does this mean?"*

*"I have no clue. Although, I can only feel assurance at the desire that draws me towards you."*

*"Is it the desire of going beyond our platonic relationship?"*

*"I am not so sure. I have not experienced falling in love with any person. I would not be able to recognize a romantic connection or otherwise."*

*"Then we will discover our feelings together."*

*"What do you suggest we do?"*

*"There are many things we must learn before we make our relationship official, so that is a start."*

*"I have one suggestion...but you might consider it to sudden."*

*"Tell me, my angel. What do you desire?"*

*"I have a longing for...a more intimate sign of affection. I desire to kiss you. It has been a thought manifesting my mind for moons, and I wish to try."*

*"My love, your wish is my command. I also yearn for the same. But, we must take your parents into account. Will this not cause a stir in the kingdom? We are both females and intimacy between the same sex is forbidden. Our statuses do not match up as well."*

*"We shall make this our little secret. Just between the two of us. I will not let our sex and status determine our relationship. Society must not dictate how we live our lives. My hunger for you is much more substantial than paying any mind towards societal norms."*

*"If you are certain this decision, then I shall follow suit. There is nothing more I long for than to spend every day for the rest of my life with you. Even while I lay on my death bed, I will kiss you until my final breath."*

*"You give me too much flattery. I am far too simple to be given such adulations."*

*"Far from it, my love."* Mi-Sun took Haeun's hand and placed a gentle kiss upon it. *"You intrigue me too much to be considered simple."*

The two women continued to blush and praise each other for another ten minutes. Along the way, Chaewon could see their bodies slowly draw closer until there was no space between them. Their actions became more sensual and their faces were inches apart. 

Eventually, it became inevitable of what the pair would do next. As the space between their faces turned from inches to centimeters as Mi-Sun made the first move. Their lips touched and - at first - they did not know how they should progress from there. But eventually their lips began to move against each other. They gradually got more bolder and their kiss reflected that. Their hands began to caress each other once tongues were added to the mix.

Chaewon felt embarrassed watching this very intimate scene, however her eyes stayed fixed. It reminded her of her first kiss with Hyejoo. The hunger that this kiss exuded replicated their own kiss months ago. Then, Chaewon thought about the whole conversation she just heard and compared it to her own conversation with Hyejoo when they were about to kiss.

Everything seemed to live up - the warmth, the unsureness, the inexperience, even the longing. It all seemed to line up perfectly. 

Chaewon's thoughts were interrupted by other voices becoming audible. They were coming from a distance and was slowly getting louder with every passing second. 

Mi-Sun seemed to react to this, trying to pull away out of fear and murmuring warnings between kisses. However, Haeun had no reaction at all and remained calm. As the voices almost became clear, Chaewon could see the two women begin to glow. A gold light illuminated off their skin, starting from Haeun and then Mi-Sun. Immediately, Mi-Sun relaxed, as if the worry of being caught escaped her mind. 

Finally, Chaewon could put a face to the voices as the people came into view. They were about ten villagers, conversing amongst themselves and carrying foods in baskets. Then, the strangest thing occured. None of them seemed to notice the two women deep in their make out session. Instead, they kept walking as if nothing was happening. Not only that but when one of the villagers were about to crash into the couple, the villager went through them. It was as if Haeun and Mi-Sun were not even there or were invisible. It was unexpected and peculiar, to say the least.

As Chaewon stood there in awe, she felt the world shake below her. The surroundings were crumbling and fading away.

Then, her vision went white.

***

Hyejoo kept her eyes glued to Chaewon with a concern look on her face. The hand that gently placed on Chaewon's cheek became two hands cupping her face. 

"Wasn't this longer than last time?" Jungeun asked, standing behind Chaewon worriedly. "I hope she's okay..."

"What if she's in danger??" Hyejoo asked fearfully. "Should we pull the object away?"

"No, just give her time." Jinsoul said sternly. "She's fine, trust me."

And just then, a gasp came out of Chaewon as the white in her eyes faded. As Chaewon came out of her vision, she jerked forward suddenly. Chaewon would have fallen if Hyejoo was not there to quickly catch her.

"Baby, are you okay?" Hyejoo asked, holding Chaewon up by her waist. 

"Yeah, I'm okay... I think." Chaewon responded, panting lightly.

As she stood up, the others came over to make sure Chaewon was okay. 

"Chaewon, what did you see?" Hyunjin asked. "Any new information?"

"Yes, a lot." Chaewon replied. "But I don't know where to start."

"Well, let's head back home first before any catches us in-" 

"Quiet!"

Everyone was confused by Jinsoul's sudden outburst but then realized what she referring to. They could hear the sound of grass crackling, which got gradually got more audible. 

"Shit! Someone's coming!" Hyejoo whispered, frantically looking for a place to hide. But, it was no use as it was a small shed with only one room. 

Just as they only had a few seconds, Chaewon felt a burning sensation tingling on her skin. All of a sudden, there was bright light that flashed before their eyes. 

Then the door slammed open. 

"Hey! Who's in here??" 

A large man came storming into the shed, an enraged expression on her face. He turned his head to look at every corner in the room. The strange thing was that the six of them were standing right in the middle of the shed and I'm clear view of everyone. But, for some reason, the man could not see them.

"Why can't my father see us?" Hyejoo asked, flabbergasted. "Aren't we right here?"

Then, Chaewon though of something. She looked at her hands and saw gold shimmers surrounding them. Then, as Chaewon looked at everyone else, she saw the same gold shimmers on everyone else's skin. It looked similar to the scene from her vision and it made her gasp from realization.

"What?" Jinsoul asked when she heard Chaewon gasp. "What's wrong?"

"This....was from my vision."

"You mean, Hyejoo's dad not being able to see us?" Heejin asked as well. 

"No, well kinda. It's hard to explain but the two women, Haeun and Mi-Sun, did this. Their skin glowed gold and then they became invisible to the villagers passing through."

"But, how are we doing this? Because, last I checked, no of us can do anything close to this."

"I'm not sure..."

Eventually, Hyejoo's father gave up and angrily groaned. He stomped out of the shed and shut the door behind him. Just as he did, Chaewon let out a sigh of relief and the gold on their skins disappeared.

They all turned to each other as confusion began to set in.

"Chaewon." Jinsoul began. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 17! In contrast to the last chapter, this one has two major plots. We have the departure of Haseul, which Kahei is not taking very well. But, Haseul hugged Kahei, which is a big deal. It will be explained why in better detail later, but for now I hope you enjoyed the ViSeul scene! We also got the second vision, which was more eventful than the first. A lot of parallels between Chaewon and Hyejoo with Haeun and Mi-Sun. 👀 But that will be explained in due time. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Next chapter will get back to Jiwoo and Yerim, so I expect some drama!
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	18. 𝒊 𝒂𝒎 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i am keeping my eye on you.  
> you are raising my suspicions.  
> i know there is more to you beyond the surface.  
> and i will figure it out when your guard is down.  
> i know i am taking a huge risk,  
> but I have to learn more  
> without your knowledge,  
> 𝒊 𝒂𝒎 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

Sooyoung was sitting in front of the television when she heard the lock to the door unlock. She turned her head just in time for the door to swing open and reveal Jiwoo on the other side. Sooyoung stood up from the couch with a relieved smile across her face.

"You're back." Sooyoung commented. She walked over to Jiwoo and immediately brought her into a kiss. "How did your day go?"

"Great!" Jiwoo replied, sounding chipper. "Yerim and I had fun together."

"Did it take your mind off of your parents?"

"Yeah, for a while. But it's okay! I have more important things I could do instead of worrying about them."

"Like what?"

"Well, for starters, amazing you by my incredible cooking skills!" Jiwoo announced, winking and pointing finger guns. 

"Babe, I thought you were terrible at cooking." Sooyoung teased. "I mean, the last time you cooked for me we almost burned the apartment building down. And the time before that too."

"Yeah, but I've been practicing!" Jiwoo retorted. "Besides, you can eat take out food everyday. It's not healthy for you!"

"Maybe, but it's convenient and way more safer than letting you almost leave us homeless again."

"I won't burn the apartment down, I promise!" Jiwoo pouted, tugging on Sooyoung's arm. "Please, just let me try..."

Sooyoung was seconds from rejecting her begging, but one look into Jiwoo's puppy eyes made her give in. If there was one weakness that Sooyoung had, it would be how natural cute the red head could be.

"Fine.." Sooyoung sighed. "But please, keep a fire extinguisher with you."

"Yay! You got it!" Jiwoo happily skipped towards the kitchen, eager to get started. 

Sooyoung could not help the chuckle that came out her mouth. Jiwoo was truly to pure for the world in Sooyoung's eyes. It was not like Jiwoo was unaware or oblivious to the world around her - it was the opposite, actually. Jiwoo just did not let the faults of the world bother her, which was admirable. 

Sometimes, Sooyoung felt like she was unworthy of having a girlfriend like Jiwoo. Their relationship began out of malicious intent and secrets, which Sooyoung regretted. But now, everything seemed to go well. They were getting along and that is what mattered.

Sooyoung sat back down on the couch and sighed. Unfortunately, there was still one more thing that was weighing on Sooyoung's mind. Sooyoung was still forced to be a part of the cult. Whether she liked it or not, she still had to work for them. She had to keep up the act until her friends could put an end to them - or at least close to that. Maybe, in the meantime, Sooyoung could stall time for them. 

But then that brought up the concern of whether or not she should stay this close with Jiwoo. There are a lot of people inside and outside of the cult that would be out to get her. There was reason why Sooyoung could not yet leave the cult no matter how much she tried. And now, with her dating Jiwoo, that could lead those same people to go for her. The last thing Sooyoung wanted was for Jiwoo to get involved. Even though Jiwoo constantly denied that it bothered her, Sooyoung was scared that something disastrous would happen. 

Along with that, there was already one person that Sooyoung was concerned about. 

Gahyeon was still Jiwoo's friend. Even if they do not see each other often, as long as they were on good terms and Jiwoo trusted her, Gahyeon was still a threat. But, Sooyoung could not say anything. If Jiwoo were to end her friendship with Gahyeon, then Gahyeon would know that Sooyoung had said something about her intentions. Then, Sooyoung - as well as Jiwoo - would be in even more danger. Even if she stressed to Jiwoo about the consequences, Gahyeon was too smart to not notice. 

For now, Sooyoung just hoped her friends would hurry and that Gahyeon would not get any ideas.

"Hey, baby?" Jiwoo called out from the kitchen. "You don't mind having REALLY spicy food, would you?"

"Depends!" Sooyoung called back. "How spicy is it?"

"I don't know! I accidentally spilled like thirty percent of the pepper container!"

"Uh, sure! I don't care!" Sooyoung shouted back before muttering: "It's better than you setting the apartment on fire..."

As if on cue, Sooyoung began to smell smoke. At first she did not believe it but when she heard Jiwoo panicking from the kitchen, Sooyoung deadpanned.

"I spoke too soon."

***

"So, how did I do?" 

"Mm, better than last time." Sooyoung admitted, taking a bite out of her rice. "But, just a little burnt and spicy. But at least we still have a home, so ten out of ten."

"Told you!" Jiwoo cheered, jumping from her seat across from Sooyoung. "I have improved, haven't I?"

"Well, at least you got to COOK something, so yes that's improvement."

Jiwoo giggled before the two went back to their meal. Even though it was not the best food ever, Sooyoung knew that it was the thought that counts. So, she just kept any snarky comments to herself. 

But, as Sooyoung was eating, she took note of how odd the atmosphere was at the table. For starters, Sooyoung noticed that the table was beautifully set with candles and fancy silverware, like at a fancy restaurant. At first, she ignored the hunch and assumed that Jiwoo was just doing this for fun. But then Jiwoo had taken out her phone and began to look through it before finally setting it down. After this, soft jazzy music started to play from the phone. It was obvious from that point on that Jiwoo was trying to create a romantic tone - but for what reason? Sooyoung had no clue but was curious to find out.

"Hey, babe?" Sooyoung spoke up after five minutes. "What is all this for?"

"What do you mean?"

"The whole set up and the music." Sooyoung clarified. "What's up with that?"

"Oh that! It's because today's an important day!" Jiwoo replied, as if it was obvious. "You do know what today is, right?"

Sooyoung shook her head. "No clue."

"Today marks three months of us dating!" 

"And that's important to you humans?" 

"I mean, kinda?" Jiwoo responded. "Our first year is very important, so yes!"

Sooyoung hummed. One difference that she noticed between hybrids and humans was how they treated relationships. Humans seemed to treat relationships more sacredly. Most new generation hybrids got together for the sole purpose of societal norms. It was seen as immoral to not have a significant other by most elders, so most hybrids just started relationships to not be seen as an outcast or to not possibly shame their families. Of course, there were hybrids who were keen on marriage - including Jinsoul and Jungeun - but those people were the minority. Sooyoung was in the majority of not paying any regard towards romantic relationships.

Well, that was until she met Jiwoo.

"Then, happy three months of dating." Sooyoung gave a closed-mouth smile. "I'm actually surprised we lasted this long."

"Me too. I'm surprised you stuck around with me this long."

At first, Sooyoung snorted at the comment and found it entertaining. But then, she noticed the slight solemnity in Jiwoo's expression and tone. 

"You okay?"

"Oh, yeah! I'm great!" Jiwoo waved her hands dismissively. "Never better!"

"If you say so..." Sooyoung decided to ignore her conjecture and change the subject. "You know, our manager contacted me today. We have to go in for a meeting with CEO tomorrow and we already have a packed schedule after that."

"Really?" Jiwoo murmured, gazing down in her food while twirling a spoon between her fingers.

"Yeah, we have a few photoshoots and then more interviews for that drama we were casted for months ago. Then we start filming in February."

Jiwoo hummed and took a sip of water out of her glass cup, eyes hooded and fixed on Sooyoung.

"The filming is all through February so we're going to be very-"

"Sooyoung." Jiwoo set her glass cup down and stared at Sooyoung intently. "Can you be honest with me?"

"Yeah?... What's up?"

"You're still in that cult, right? So, you still work for them and see them often."

"Yeah, I do."

"Have you...done anything with them lately?"

"You mean, criminal activity?"

Jiwoo nodded stiffly.

"Recently, no. They haven't asked me to do anything in about two months. But, I have to stay with them for until Hyejoo and the others can find a way to interfere with whatever they are planning."

Jiwoo hummed again and her hands fell into her lap. 

"So, you've hurt people in the past?" 

"Yeah...as few." Sooyoung sighed. "I sincerely regret it. I was such naive person back then and thought that what I was doing was morally sound. Obviously, that was far from the truth. I'm in a much better place now and refuse to harm innocent people, which the cult leadership despise. But they know they need me, so they won't try to get on my bad side unless it's for blackmail - which they happily take part in frequently."

Jiwoo, who was playing with something in her lap, looked up at Sooyoung with sanguine eyes.

"So, what do you mean by "a few"?"

"I don't know, three?" Sooyoung responded ambiguously. "Four?"

Jiwoo muttered a sentence under her breath as she tensed. Her eyes wandered back to her lap and stared for a few seconds. Sooyoung could see that Jiwoo was shifting something between her hands with pressed lips. A minute later of silence, Jiwoo's whole demeanor shifted. Her frown grew into a smile and her eyes crinkled. It looked somewhat contrived, which unsettled Sooyoung.

"Okay! I believe you!" Jiwoo exclaimed. "Just wanted to make sure."

"Right..." Sooyoung chuckled awkwardly.

"So, since today is a special day, I wanted to give you a gift."

Jiwoo lifted her hand to reveal a necklace. It was large necklace with an emerald green pendant. Sooyoung assumed that this was what Jiwoo was playing with in her lap for the past ten minutes. 

"Jiwoo, you didn't have to give this to me." Sooyoung remarked, smiling gratefully. "But, I'm not a jewelry person..."

"Aw, come on!" Jiwoo whined. "I know you don't but I wanted to give you a present that you can always have with you. Also, so that we could be matching!"

Jiwoo pulled out the necklace that was hidden in the collar of her shirt. It looked similar to Sooyoung's gift but had a ruby red pendant.

Sooyoung examined at the necklace with sceptical eyes. It was peculiar for Jiwoo to gift her with jewelry - especially since Sooyoung had previously said that she never wore those kinds of accessories. However, Sooyoung had to take into account that it was a special day for them both and Jiwoo seemed to be passionate about its importance. Sooyoung did not want to sound inconsiderate so she would just have to take the gift and wear it. Besides, it was just a necklace. Maybe she could just wear it for a week and then Jiwoo would forget about it.

"Alright, I'll wear it." Sooyoung confirmed. "But, just this once."

"Yay!" Jiwoo pumped her fist and stood from her chair. "Thanks love! Now, let me put it on you!"

Jiwoo walked behind Sooyoung with the necklace and wrapped its chains around her neck, pendant resting on her chest. Jiwoo fiddled with the jewelry for a while before - all of a sudden - her movement halted. Jiwoo stood still behind her and mumbled something inaudible. A few seconds later, the movement presumed until the necklace was latched. 

"Done!" Jiwoo walked back to her seat. "Now, let's get back to our dinner!"

Jiwoo had a stiff smile and seem like she was trying to retire the conversation. After this, Jiwoo began rambling on many topics that flew immediately to the back of Sooyoung's mind. There was no doubt that Jiwoo was talking awkwardly to the point where it sounded deceptive. Sooyoung wanted to question this behavior but then she thought she was overanalyzing the situation. Jiwoo was always an awkward person since the day they met so Sooyoung should be accustomed to it. Maybe Jiwoo was just nervous about the gift. 

Sooyoung decided to leave the sceptical thoughts on the back-burner and enjoy her evening with her girlfriend.

***

"Hey honey, are you coming?" Jungeun asked as she walked one foot out of their bedroom door. After they got back from Ardor, they decided to get changed out of their black clothing before the six would discuss the strange occurrence.

"Yeah, hold on." Jinsoul replied as she threw on a blue hoodie. She then picked up a small journal that laid on their bed. "Ready."

"Wait, what is that?" Jungeun eyed the journal curiously. 

"Hyejoo's mother's diary." Jinsoul showed her wife the cover of the journal, which had *DIARY* written in cursive lettering and floral design borders. "I put it to the side when I saw it in one of the boxes. I thought maybe it could help us."

"That's smart." Jungeun complimented. "Maybe we could find the next object with this."

"That's what I hoped."

Jinsoul was about to walk out the door before Jungeun stood in her way. Jungeun stood there and examined Jinsoul's face.

"You have that look again."

"What look?" Jinsoul raised an eyebrow.

"That look you have when you're scared of something but don't want people to know about it." 

"It's nothing, honey. I just have all on my mind as of recent."

"Then let's talk about it! Like before, I'm always here to listen. You know that, right?" 

"Of course. And that's one of the things I love about you." Jinsoul pecked Jungeun's lips. "I just want to know. There are so many questions being thrown at us and not enough answers or time to solve them. And then I worry about Chaewon and Hyejoo and their involvement with all this, especially Chaewon. Chaewon is used to having a normal life and is now being thrown into our world."

"That's what I was wondering." Jungeun sighed. "But, I also think about their soulmate connection. It's already rare for two hybrids to be soulmates, but a hybrid and human? Does that even exist?"

"I've never heard of that, which proves its significance. I've never seen Hyejoo be so protective over anyone. She's basically attached to Chaewon twenty-four seven. So, then... I don't even know." 

"Let's talk with the others." Jungeun suggested. "Maybe Hyunjin has some ideas. And then we could look through the diary for more context." 

"You're right. We should probably not keep the others waiting." 

The married couple held hands as they walked out of the bedroom and into the living room, where the others waited. Chaewon and Hyejoo were sitting on the couch, while Hyunjin stood beside the piece of furniture. Heejin sat on the floor in front of the couple, playing with the quill they found in the shed. 

"About time." Heejin groaned, twirling the quill between her fingers as she watched Jinsoul and Jungeun come into view. "You guys took your sweet time."

"Sorry, we had to talk about something." Jinsoul apologized while ignoring Heejin's sly comment. "So, should we get started?"

"We should." Hyunjin replied with a nod.

The vibe in the apartment was gloomy after they came back. It was mostly due to their confusion and irritation they felt, which was mutual throughout the six of them. So, with a sigh, Jungeun sat in the other couch while Jinsoul leaned on the backrest of it. 

"So, first we should start with the vision Chaewon saw." Hyunjin began. "So, Chaewon, can you explain?"

"Sure, I can." Chaewon nodded. "So, when I woke up, I was in a forest. There was Haeun and Mi-Sun there, on a date. I assumed so because they were being very affectionate towards each other, in addition to what happened later. The quill was there also, which Haeun was using to write. Eventually, their conversation transitioned into their feelings. They talked about how they felt a connection, and it...reminded me of Hyejoo and I. They even looked like us, which surprised me."

"Well, Mi-Sun is Hyejoo's mother, so that makes sense." Heejin inferred. "But, you're saying that Haeun looked like you?"

"Exactly. But, they sounded like they might have been soulmates based on their conversation. Anyway, they kissed each other afterwards and then it happened. There were villagers walking past and it looked like they were going to spot the two of them. But, then what happened with us and happened with them. The villagers could not see or hear them, and they could even walk though them. It was like they weren't even there."

"So, do you know how they did that?" Hyunjin asked.

"No, but I know that Haeun did it. Mi-Sun was panicking at first but once they started glowing, she relaxed. Haeun looked unbothered the whole time."

"Okay, then that makes everything more complex. I mean, I presume that hybrids can't turn invisible. And Haeun is a hybrid, so..."

"I wish I could turn invisible, but unfortunately no." Heejin leaned back against the arm rest. "And that goes for every dragon type."

"Well, clearly it's not EVERY dragon type..."

"What are you suggesting?" Jungeun asked, noticing that intense look on Hyunjin's face.

"I said when we went to that cave that maybe there was another dragon type from centuries ago." Hyunjin started, speaking slowly. "I think that this is proof of that. If Haeun is a hybrid and can do things you all can't, then she must be different. Not to mention that Chaewon did that, who we thought was human but now know that is not the case. So, if I could make an assumption, maybe Haeun is another hybrid type that was probably extinct or similar to that. And maybe this kingdom is-"

"Amos." 

Everyone turned their heads to Jinsoul, who had the journal opened and was reading.

"Amos is where this all took place." Jinsoul explained. "Mi-Sun mentions that as her kingdom."

"Wait, is that my mother's diary?" Hyejoo asked. "You got it from the shed?"

"Mhm." Jinsoul nodded. "I'm reading to see if we can learn more about Haeun and Mi-Sun and get some context. It was written from when they first met and it's clear that they have an intense connection."

"Really, like what?"

"There's a lot of entries in here, but to summarize... it's really similar to you and Chaewon. She writes in detail about how every time she touches Haeun, she develops a warm feeling. Then, your mother talks about how she becomes so protective over her and feels an obligation to stay around her. It really does sound like they're soulmates."

"So, Mi-Sun represents Hyejoo and Haeun represents Chaewon..." Jungeun pondered. 

"And clearly Hyejoo and Mi-Sun are flame hybrids..." Heejin continued.

"And if Haeun is a special kind of hybrid then..." Hyunjin added on.

Everyone looked at Chaewon with wide eyes, realization written on their faces. Chaewon looked around, confused by all the stares.

"What?" Chaewon asked obviously. "I'm lost."

"Baby..." Hyejoo sighed. "I think you actually are a..."

Chaewon thought for a moment. After this, her face shifts from confusion to awareness to complete shock.

"No, you guys aren't...but that isn't..." 

"Chaewon, I think you're a hybrid." Jinsoul announced. "I don't know how but...it all makes sense."

"But, there's no way." Chaewon denied. "I am a human, right? I have a human parents, and I grew up surrounded by humans. I've never done any magic until earlier and I've never transformed into a dragon. There has to be another explanation...."

"I don't think there is." Hyunjin sighed. "Everything points to that theory. And it's not like we have no other explanation. Also, what if that's the transformation that woman from your dreams is talking about?" 

"Wait, so I am turning into a hybrid?" Chaewon asked with fear in her voice.

"That... actually makes sense because...from the day I met you." Hyejoo tried to get your words out as her eyes shifted.

"What?" Chaewon looked Hyejoo in the eyes. 

"Usually, hybrids can sense whether or not someone is a hybrid by their scent. With Hyunjin, her scent was of a pretty standard human scent. But you...were different. It was a scent that I've never smelled before. It was so addicting and I think that's why I was so attached to you from the start - well, that and because you were my soulmate. And then, after the scene in the cave, the scent got stronger and it affected how I acted around you. I became more possessive of you, which I could not control. And, even now, it gets more potent everyday..."

"Then, that must be something only Hyejoo can smell because your scent is normal to me." Heejin concluded. 

"If that's the case, then Chaewon must be changing overtime." Jungeun deduced. "Whatever happened at New Year's must have awakened the dragon side of her, and now it's changing her. If this a special hybrid type, then it might be affecting Chaewon differently." 

Chaewon looked down at her arm. Her eyes traced the details of her golden tattoo. Everyone's voices drowned out as her eyes stopped on the sun design. Memories of all the mentions of the sun symbolism popped into her head, until her brain was swelling with those thoughts. A minute later, her ears picked up incomprehensible whispers. Everything faded around her. Her body began to feel numb and her senses became foreign. Chaewon felt like she was not in her own body and that she was not in control - rather, that there was someone else.

The sun on her arm started to illuminate, which Chaewon could not react to as she could not move. Her eyes just widened as the golden sun turned bright red. Then, one of the whispers became comprehensible and Chaewon heard a loud:

*"I'm coming for you..."*

"Chaewon...Chaewon!"

Chaewon's head lifted as the foreign being forced her to look at her girlfriend. Except, Hyejoo looked different. Hyejoo's eyes were blood red and her dragon appendages made a appearance. She was also in dress that was in a medieval style and her hair was cut short. All of these accessories made Hyejoo look like...

"Mi-Sun.."

"What?" Hyejoo titled her head. "Chaewon, your eyes are-"

"Mi-Sun, it is you..." 

Chaewon could not control the words that were coming out of her mouth. The foreign being in her body was speaking for her, and the voice that came out did not sound like her own.

"Here you are...."

"Baby, what are you talking about?"

"Chaewon, you good?" Heejin lifted her eyebrow. "You sound weird..."

"Mi-Sun, I missed you so much! I cannot fully express my joy in this very moment!" 

Chaewon could feel her eyes watering and tears running along her cheeks. She could not do anything to stop them as they kept falling.

"Okay, something's wrong." Jinsoul stood up and went over to Chaewon, crouching to her eye level. "Chaewon, are you there? Answer me."

"Chaewon? Who is this woman you speak of?"

"This isn't Chaewon." Hyejoo said bluntly. "I can't hear her thoughts. It's like something is blocking them. This is not her..."

"Chaewon!" Jinsoul grabbed Chaewon's arms and shook her firmly. "Can you hear us?? Listen, I don't know what is doing this but you have to break out of it."

Chaewon shook her head violently, trying to follow Jinsoul's instructions. It felt like she was fighting with the foreign being in her body for control. Eventually, the control was return, but it started to mentally strain her.

"Please! Do not leave me again!" 

Chaewon shook off Jinsoul and threw herself on Hyejoo. She gripped her girlfriend's shirt as her body was trembling. The tears fell more frequently.

Hyejoo could see her eyes flickering between gold and her normal color, which made her speechless and stare in horror. Everyone else quickly reacted and surrounded them, with Jinsoul and Hyunjin trying to pull Chaewon away.

"Chaewon?..." Hyejoo said in a pleading voice. "I don't know what's happening but you have to fight it, okay?" 

Hyejoo cupped Chaewon's face with eyes fixed into her soulmate's. Chaewon could finally calm down for a moment and looked at Hyejoo with blurry eyes. Staring into the bright red eyes, the foreign being finally became tranquil and relinquished their control over Chaewon's body. Finally, her senses came back to her. The filter that the foreign being had created had disappeared from her vision. 

"That's it... It's okay..." Hyejoo comforted, noticing that Chaewon's eyes were normal and body finally relaxed. Hyejoo traced circles with her thumb along Chaewon's cheeks.

Chaewon breathed in and out slowly. Eventually, her heart stopped racing and her eyes were hooded. Soon, she felt her body began to shut down and started to feel sleepy. 

"You're okay..." Hyejoo smiled softly as noticed Chaewon's hooded and unfocused eyes. She brought Chaewon closer by her waist until she sat on her lap. Chaewon laid her head on Hyejoo's shoulder as the slumber fully took over. Hyejoo kissed her forehead when she noticed this. "I got you, babygirl..."

After a minute, Hyejoo felt light breathing against her neck and noted that Chaewon was fully asleep. Everyone sighed in relief as the whole ordeal was over.

"I don't know how you do that..." Jungeun spoke up towards Hyejoo. "But, that was impressive..."

"Thanks, but I don't even know what I did..." Hyejoo confessed. "I just acted based on instinct."

"Well, either way, good job kid." Heejin stood up off the floor. "Now...what the fuck was that??"

"Shh!" Jungeun warned at Heejin. "Do you want to go through that again??"

"Sorry!" 

"Look, let's continue this conversation tomorrow. It's getting dark anyway and I think Chaewon should rest." Jinsoul instructed, glancing at the blonde. 

"Good idea." Hyunjin nodded. "While we were talking, the place "Amos" reminded me of something. There is someone I think might recognize that and help me out. I think Heejin and I will head there tomorrow."

"Okay, and Jungeun and I will go find Sana. At this point, Sana has to tell us more after we tell her about what we discovered."

"What about us?" Hyejoo asked, noticing the exclusion of her name and Chaewon's.

"You have to watch over Chaewon for the next twenty-four hours to make sure nothing else like this occurs. We'll try to gather more information for the time being."

"Got it."

Even though Hyejoo wanted to help out, taking care of Chaewon was her top priority right now. Now that Chaewon had the high chance of being a hybrid, as well as having some unexplainable abilities to go with it, it was important for Hyejoo to make sure she is safe. Hopefully, this is the last time that will happen.

"But, Jinsoul, what's going on with Chaewon?" 

"I...wish I knew." Jinsoul sighed. She gazed at everything in the room - from Hyejoo, to her wife, to her friends, the diary, and then her eyes held their gaze at Chaewon. Look back at Hyejoo with a defeated look.

"I really wish I knew."

***

Yerim knew that this was very ludicrous. Like, extremely ludicrous. The kind of ludicrousness that could get her killed. However, she had no other choice but to proceed. Even if this was risky.

When Yerim had gotten to work, she had a close eye on Minji. Every time Yerim would catch the woman, she watch her every move from a distance - seeing if she could catch on to anything suspicious. At first, Yerim could not get close enough to notice anything odd. But then, as Yerim was sitting as her desk, she looked out the window of her studio. There, she saw Minji talking to someone who was easily recognizable. It was clear as day that the other woman was Gahyeon. Now, Yerim was on the third floor of the building so she could barely see any facial expressions and could not hear any of their conversation. However, Yerim's interested was already peeked. 

Then, Yerim got an idea; the kind of idea that was deprived of any proper judgment:

What if she could follow Minji?

Idiotic? Maybe. But she had an inescapable feeling that Minji was plotting something. She knew Jiwoo and Sooyoung, as well as sounding like she took pleasure out of toying with them. Yerim did not what she was planning, but this was a way to investigate. 

So, when she saw Minji leaving her studio for their lunch break, Yerim took this opportunity to follow her. Maybe Minji was only heading out to grab food. Maybe Minji was heading towards somewhere that could given Yerim the evidence she needed. 

There was only one way to find out.

So, here she was now. Yerim has been following Minji for the past ten minutes, hood over her head and face mask on to hide her identity. She also made sure her hair was tucked into her hood since purple locks could stand out prominently. In addition, Yerim made sure not to stare and to halt every few minutes so Minji would not catch on.

Finally, Minji had turned and walked into restaurant. Yerim waited half a minute before following her. Walking into the restaurant, it took Yerim a while before she spotted Minji. There she was - walking into the back of the shop with another woman. The other woman opened a door, looking around before walking inside the backroom. 

Yerim wasted no more time and headed to the backroom. She slightly opened the door and peered inside, checking to see if the two woman were there. The room was dim, with only one light source illuminating a part of the room. However, she saw no one inside the space so, when she double checked that none of the few people in the restaurant was looking, she slipped inside and quietly shut the door behind her.

Stepping into the room, Yerim had an eerie feeling was over her as she shivered. She was puzzled on where the women went, but her question was answered when she saw another door. Taking a deep breath, Yerim placed her hand on the doorknob and turned it. She began to develop goosebumps from the unwavering fear, which made Yerim's heart beat accelerate. However, it was too late to turn back now.

Opening the door, Yerim was greeted by a long hallway. It was so dark that she could not even see the end of it. With a gulp, Yerim pressed forward. She continued walking, silently hoping she would not come across the two women. A few minutes later, Yerim saw a light coming from a distance - which motivated her to keep going. When she finally reached the light, Yerim stepped back and lightly gasped. It looked to be some sort of portal, with there being a circle with several symbols within it. The symbol was slowly starting to dim, indicating its soon disappearance. Knowing this, Yerim knew she had to act quickly. Closing her eyes to not become blinded, she stepped closer the portal and put one hand through to see if her theory was true. When Yerim could no longer to see the part of her arm that surpassed the symbol, she wasted no more time and leaped through.

Yerim opened her eyes to be greeted by an additional hallway. At first, she groaned while assuming it was same hallway she spent minutes walking down. But then, she noticed the several doors that went along its sides, with one door being at the very end. Now, here was the conflict: Which door did the women step into? There were about 15 doors - at least, that is what could initially count - and Yerim certainly did not have time to go through each one, lest she risked getting spotted. So, she let her intuition make the decision for her, and chose a room that one the left side of the hallway, second door to the end. It was the sound of multiple voices that gave her the assurance that possibly the two women were inside. Turning the handle, Yerim hoped that her intuition was correct and that she was not walking head on into any danger. 

Turned out her guess was proven correct as Yerim could not only see the two women - who were both standing on this sort of stage - but there was an additional hundreds of people standing around. They are conversing amongst themselves while being spread out across the large space. Judging by the food and drinks, Yerim assumed it was some sort of get-together or meeting. She blended in with the crowd of people, so she felt relieved when no one paid any attention towards her walking in through the door. But, Yerim stook by the door in case she had to make an unexpected exist. 

It did not take long before Yerim was met with the reason behind this large gathering of people when she could someone on the stage pick up a microphone. It was the same woman that joined Minji from the restaurant.

"May I have your attention please." The woman spoke into the microphone, her demand reaching to the hundreds of people. The room quickly got so silent that Yerim could hear a pin drop. 

"Thank you. Now let us begin." The woman started as she cleared her throat. Behind her, there were five other women standing there menacingly. It included Minji and Gahyeon, along with three other unrecognizable faces. They stared at the onlookers with smirks on their stern faces.

"So, we are here to inform you that our mission is almost complete." The woman announced. "We have located the girl and can act accordingly as soon as possible. I know you all are eager to finally conclude this long journey we have been on for years, but we must keep ourselves hidden until we can get our hands on this girl. She is surrounded by both hybrids and humans alike, some of which are catching onto our plans. One of her friends are even one of our own, a traitor to our kind. In addition, the girl is bonded to a hybrid, which makes it more challenging to get close. We are patiently waiting for her full transformation until we can proceed. But, believe me, the end is near."

The crowd erupted with applause and cheers. Yerim, however, stood in silence while trying to figure out what the lady was talking about. She developed a bad feeling when she thought about her own friends. But, certainly it was not about one of them, right?

"For so long, we have been in hiding. Ever since we've learn of our ancestors's suffering, we knew we had to avenge them. We are the stronger race, yet we are treated as inferior by humans. Humans think they have the upper hand, but little do they know that we are always one step ahead. No longer will our innocent brothers and sisters be murdered or tortured by the hands of humans. No longer will we have to cover up out disguise our true power to accommodate for the humans. No longer will we be inferior. As the day of the red sun draws near, we shall show Earth what we are made of. They have not seen even an inch of the extent of out power. It is time that they get more than a glimpse of what we are capable of. It is time for us to put hybrids back to our rightful place as the superior race and make humans bow before us."

The applause and cheers got louder as the speech came to a close. Pumped fists and wide smiles were common among the crowds of people, enthusiasm mutually felt. 

Yerim could hear her heart beating loudly as panic was written on her face. She did not know what they exactly planning, but she knew that it was more precarious than originally thought. If what they were saying was as terrifying as the woman made it sound, then this could be life-changing. And if Yerim's hunch was correct, then her friends were in trouble. It was highly likely that the girl was one of them, but it was hard to tell who by the description.

Yerim did not pay much attention to what her friends discussed relating to the threat, but she did overhear quite a bit. Based on what she knew, Yerim presumed that "the traitor" was Sooyoung, since the description matched up perfectly. But, the speaker did not say much about "the girl" besides her friends. She decided to use context clues to guess who they were implying. 

It could not be herself, since she would have been an easy target. It also could not be Jiwoo, since Sooyoung and Jiwoo were not friends. She also assumed that it was not a hybrid, since the way she said "girl" was out of disdain. So that deduced her options to four people: Yeojin, Hyunjin, Kahei and Chaewon. Yerim took out Kahei from the mix since if they were trying to kidnap her, they would have done it while she was attacked. Then, Yerim thought about this "hybrid" the girl was bonded to. Yeojin was her girlfriend, so that ruled her out. Even though Heejin and Hyunjin were close, even Heejin is not attached to her all the time and left many opportunities for Hyunjin to be targeted. The said "hybrid" had to be around one of her friends all of the time, to the point where it became some sort of protection. Then, it hit Yerim.

There was only one more person that could fit the description of the "girl". And when Yerim realized, everything started to make sense.

"Hey, does anyone smell a human in here?" 

Yerim could hear a prominent voice speak up above the crowd. Everyone else who heard this began to nod in agreement of the observation. Even one of the woman standing on the stage had whispered something to the others before staring out into the crowd searchingly.

Yerim knew that her time was done here and quietly slipped out the door. Stepping out, she carefully shut the door behind her before speeding ahead. With the portal now gone, she hoped that there was some sort of exist down the hallway that she came in. Without haste, Yerim rushed down the dim hallway until she could see a staircase in the distance. She almost there and could feel relief washing over her as her running quickened.

But then, it was too late.

As Yerim felt something grab onto her hand, she knew it was over. The person who caught her brought Yerim close to her body - one hand wrapped tightly at her waist and other hand covering Yerim's mouth. Yerim tried to struggle out of the person's grasp, but it was no used. The person had no trouble holding her and their grasp even tightened, giving Yerim a glimpse at how strong they were. Yerim then felt a breath against her ear, and while trembling in fear, she could hear the whisper of:

"I told you to stay away. But you didn't listen. Now you and your friends pay the price of your actions."

Then, something hard hit her on top of the head and everything went black.

***

Haseul took a sip from her teacup. 

It had been days since she had left Earth and her friends. The first few hours of coming back home was trying to revert back to her previous way of living. Not having anyone to talk to after living with Kahei for months took a while to get accustomed to the change. However, Haseul found solace in the silence, finally being to relax her thoughts. The desolation was what Haseul has been used to for years, so she benefitted from finally returning to her way of life.

However, Haseul still felt somber over her departure. She missed her friends, especially Kahei. Kahei was probably the best person Haseul had ever came across, and now they were separated. Haseul realized what she feeling was regret for leaving, but there was no turning back on her decision.

There was a specific reason why she had to leave so abruptly.

Haseul was waiting. Someone was coming for her. Haseul knew that if she was not present when they came, then the confrontation would become more hostile. 

Haseul took a glance at all the gifts her friends had given her and smiled. She did not mention this to any of them, but it was slightly possible that it would be their last time seeing each other. Haseul did not have the strength to tell Kahei, as to not worry her. But, she knew that this person that was meeting her shortly had no mercy and that her time was likely up.

But that was okay in Haseul's eyes. 

She deserved it.

Haseul felt some chilling winds brush against her back and smiled again to herself. After the winds stopped, Haseul stood from her couch. She did not face the new presence that has teleported into her home, knowing already who it was.

"So you are cooperating?" A women's voice asked.

"Yes, why not? There is no need for a struggle. The mission of your cult is almost complete and there is nothing I shall do to interfere. The girl you seek is almost in your grasp, so there is not much else I can do."

"You could've made it easier for us. You were with that girl for a week in that rental house and could have easily done something."

"I will not take part directly in your nefarious plots against this girl. She is your responsibility. I have done my part in the past and will no longer continue."

"Either way, we know where she is and that's all that matters."

The woman grabbed onto Haseul's shoulder as Haseul let out a chuckle.

"I see Siyeon had executed the plan perfectly since you are back. I thought they had murdered you."

"A few experiments won't break me. However, I cannot say the same about you."

"So, what are you waiting for? I am willingly offering myself to you."

"You're no fun."

Haseul felt the world around her began to slip away as the teleportation process had begun. Before her home had officially disappeared from her vision, Haseul took one last glance at the painting on her wall. It was the same painting that Yerim had given to her before she left. Haseul read over the sincere words on the painting repeatedly before finally shutting her eyes.

*Always with you*

Hopefully, that was more true than Haseul thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there was Chapter 18! There is a lot to unpack with this chapter. The climax of the story is near, so expect things to pick up. Overall, we got a glimpse of how Chaewon is significant to this mystery, which will be a surprise near the end. I hope you all picked up on a few details throughout this chapter, as it bring to light more parts of the cult's plot and intentions. I don't want to spoil anything else so I'll let you guys form theories in the comments!
> 
> Tell me what you think of this chapter in the comments below!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	19. 𝒊 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i never knew how my involvement affected you.  
> i tried to protect you,  
> only to learn that my efforts were not enough.  
> now you are slipping away  
> and i have to search for you  
> even though there is me against hundreds  
> through all doubt,  
> 𝒊 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

Jinsoul carefully opened the door to Chaewon's bedroom and peered inside. In there was Chaewon and Hyejoo sleeping together in bed, snoring softly. The covers was laying on the floor. Chaewon was partly on top of Hyejoo, leg across Hyejoo's waist and arms hugging her torso. Hyejoo had her arm wrapped around Chaewon's back, while her other arm was splayed out on the side. Chaewon's head was laying on the hybrid's chest, whose lips were pressed on her forehead.

Jinsoul felt like she was invading an intimate moment. But, she had to talk to Hyejoo before she would go see Sana with Jungeun. Jinsoul did not want them to wake up and worry where she was.

Jinsoul walked over to the bed and crouched down. She shook Hyejoo gently and whispered her name repeatedly until she heard a groan coming from the younger.

"What?..." Hyejoo mumbled, not bothering to open her eyes.

"Jungeun and I are leaving for Sana's place. We'll be back later, okay? Make sure that Chaewon rests."

"Sure..." Hyejoo said hoarsely. "See you..."

Jinsoul nodded. She stood back up and walked back to the door, glancing back at the couple. The corners of her lips lifted into a smile when she could see Hyejoo peppering kisses over Chaewon's forehead. It was wholesome to see Hyejoo look so content after years of her wearing a melancholic expression. Even through all the confusion, Chaewon and Hyejoo found condolence with one another and Jinsoul commended them for that. 

Jinsoul decided to give them their privacy and walked out of the bedroom, slowly closing the door as to not wake Chaewon up. 

"Ready?" Jungeun asked as Jinsoul exited.

"Yeah, let's make this quick." Jinsoul responded and the married couple headed in their way.

Jinsoul picked up the diary, hair bow, and quill from the kitchen table and they left the apartment. While making the few minute commute, Jinsoul hoped that Sana would actually answer their questions instead of beating around the bush. They were already confused as it was, and Sana's abstract language would only make their heads spin.

Jungeun knocked on the door of Sana's apartment. They waited a minute before the door was unlocked and opened. 

"I see you decided to come back." Sana said as she came into view. "Where are your other friends?"

"Heejin and Hyunjin were going to investigate something. And Hyejoo is taking care of Chaewon, for reasons I'll discuss with you." Jinsoul replied.

"Well, let's not waste any time, then. Come in!"

Jinsoul and Jungeun entered the apartment. Sana led them to the couch for them to sit during their discussion. Once they were seated, Jinsoul proceeded with the relaying of information.

Jinsoul started with the trip to Alirtura and the first vision Chaewon saw. She explained everything that was seen to the best of her abilities, making sure not to omit any details. Then, she explained the second vision, as well as the strange occurrences that followed. While disclosing, Jinsoul handed Sana the objects that provoked each vision. Sana quietly listened while analyzing each object.

"So.. that's what happened within the last two weeks." Jinsoul sighed, bringing her explanation to a close. "We believe that Chaewon might be a hybrid, but we are not one hundred percent sure. No hybrid has done what Chaewon can, which makes us skeptical. However, it all aligns perfectly and would make sense considering what we know so far."

"What do you think?" Jungeun asked, watching the thoughtful look on Sana's face.

"What I think?" Sana giggled. "Well, I think that Chaewon has an intelligent group of friends."

"Wait, so are we right?"

"Spot on!" 

"Wait, so Chaewon really is a hybrid?" Jinsoul asked. "Then what type is she?"

"Yes, she is. But, she's not any of the six types you have been taught. There is one more dragon type that has been lost through time."

"So it is true..." Jinsoul said in awe. "But, why haven't we heard of them? What is stopping our elders from telling us these things? And, where are they? Are they still around or...?

"You have a lot of questions." Sana smiled. "That only proves of your worry. I admire that so I will answer them. However, keep in mind that this stays between you and your close friends. This information would not only assist you, but will be detrimental as well if this is heard by the wrong people."

"At this point, everyone has told us to keep all this a secret, so we are habituated to heed the warning." Jungeun explained. "We just want to help not only Chaewon but everyone else already involved. In addition, we know this has to do with that cult, but we don't have enough context to conjure up a connection."

"And that is why I will tell you what you need to know." Sana took a deep breath. "Let me tell you two a story. You all know of the six types of hybrids that are commonplace today: flame, aqua, fauna, wind, frost, and death. Those types have been around for centuries and will continue to thrive for centuries to come. You all were taught as children that flame type was the first type to exist, and the other types followed. However, they were not the first. Far from the truth, actually. There was one more type that existed long before flame type came into the picture. This ancient type were the true rulers of our universe and everyone bowed in their presence. They were seen as goddesses due to their unrivaled magical abilities. They had access to many spells that no other types had been granted, making them superior. Everyone, hybrid and human alike, treated them with the utmost respect without question. Even though humans had their own kings and queens, there was still a mutual reverence between both kingdoms. Before the war, everyone was at peace with no underlying tension between any species. With the ancient type being part of the royal court, no else dared to challenge their presence, not even the human royal court."

"So, is Haeun a part of that ancient type?" Jungeun asked.

"Yes, she is. Haeun was the princess, therefore she was one of the most powerful of the ancient type. For a long time, they were simply called goddesses since there was no other name that would fit. Normally, the type is named due to their abilities. Flame hybrids can create and manipulate fire, fauna hybrids are connected with nature, death hybrids deal with underworld and afterlife, and so on. But, this type did not have a general synopsis of their powers. Eventually, they were given the name "lumena", which meant "light". This represented their insight that had been blessed with since birth and used to help those in need. They brought joy and tranquility to the world, so the name seemed fitting. So, from them on, they were known as "The Lumena". After this, everything was calm and with no hatred harboring. At least, that's what we thought."

Sana frowned and began to look emotional, letting out quiet sniffles. 

"No one knows what caused tension between hybrids and humans all those years ago. Many thought it was due a power struggle, but there was no consensus ever made. The tension continued to brew between hybrids and humans until there was the explosion that was the war. Now, you all were taught that the only consequence of the war was ourselves being sent to different dimensions. However, that was not the only result. You asked why there was no more lumena that exist today. Well, long story short, the humans had it out for them. The humans got ahold of forbidden magic and lumena had to pay the price. While we were sent to a dimension that is still reachable, they were sent one where no one can contact them. Those who survived were sent to an unattainable dimension, while the souls of the dead were banished to a place where no hybrid nor human can find. But, a few from the survived group were able to escape, and you will meet them very soon."

"That's horrible! Why would anyone do that?" Jungeun gasped.

"And here we thought regular hybrids had it rough... At least we can come to Earth and travel between dimensions." Jinsoul sighed while shaking her head. "But, you said that there are a few lumena that still exist. So...then what about Chaewon?"

"It's hard to explain because I am not educated enough to give a proper response." Sana admitted. "Luckily, Chaewon's ability to see these visions will aid in spawning the answer. There is still a lot more you must learn, but soon you will get all the answers. Especially since, there is... something coming."

"What's coming?..." Jinsoul questioned, tensing in her seat. 

"You asked how the cult connected to what you've learned. Many hybrids are still hostile towards what humans did to the lumena. They desire for revenge, and they've been working on it for centuries. Keep in mind that while there are lumena that survived and we can no longer contact them, the souls of the lumena that died are still able to contacted in other forms. And those souls are hell-bent on making all humans pay for their crimes. Even if they are not actual beings, there are other ways to push their motives. And if those motives influence an unsuspecting hybrid, then the souls will have indirect effects on the real world. And if that unsuspecting hybrid gathers more hybrids to share those motives, then that will lead to a group of hybrids willing to fulfill them without any better judgement."

"That would make sense, taking into account their hatred towards all human beings. It's almost like they're stuck in the past." Jungeun theorized. "But, it's not like they can just murder all humans. And starting another war would be plain idiotic. So, what could they be planning?"

"Now, that is something I cannot answer. But, I can give you all advice. But first,"

Sana stood up from the couch and went over to the closet nearby. She slid open the sliding door and searched through the shelves. She kept looking until her face beamed and she pulled out something from the top shelf. It was a long case encrusted with golden accents. Based on how Sana was struggling to carry it, the object inside must be little heavy. 

"Here! This is for you all!" Sana said, carrying the case over to Jinsoul and Jungeun. She set it down near Jinsoul's feet.

"What is it?" Jungeun asked, eyes fixed on the case with curiosity.

"This is the next object you need." Sana explained. "Now that you are caught up with the past from the first two visions, you now need the third. There are two more visions after this one. I wish I could tell you where the last two objects are, but I have no clue. But you have to hurry. I don't mean to be cheesy, but the fate of the world rests in your hands. We don't have much time before the cult commits an act that might cost millions of lives. You must work quickly and diligently. But, uh, no pressure?"

"No pressure?" Jinsoul raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. "You're telling us that the whole world and lives of both hybrids and humans are determined by six young adults who just learned about all of this less than three months ago and are supposed to go against a cult of over a hundred people. Are we really that qualified?" 

"Certainly! You made it this far, haven't you?"

"Yeah, but that's because of all the connection we have. If haven't met you or Hyunjin or anyone we just happened to come across we would have no clue. Plus, Chaewon is the one who has the ability to see these things. For the most part, we are useless."

"You are correct that the friends and the people you have met throughout this journey has helped, whether that was their intention or not. But, you all are the ones who came to Chaewon and have assisted her throughout this whole journey. Think, if you had not met her, she wouldn't have known of the power she possesses. You guys have each other and that's what allows you all to persevere. So, I have every faith that you all will succeed."

Jinsoul took Sana's words to heart. Sana had a point - they would not have made it this far with all of her friends. Not only Hyunjin and Chaewon, but every new friend they had made gave them the drive to push forward. They were stronger together, and Jinsoul would not have it any other way. Even when Jinsoul had opposed coming to Earth, it was her wife, Heejin, and Hyejoo who had changed her mind instantly. Without them, none of this progress would have occured. Jinsoul found her stability in them, even when everything seemed hopeless. Truthfully, she was beyond grateful.

"Thank you, Sana." Jinsoul bowed respectfully as she stood. "We will become educated enough to stop the cult from their nefarious plans, no matter what we have to risk. Thank you for all your help."

"That's what I do!" Sana giggled. "Be, in all seriousness, I truly wish you the best in your future endeavors. Remember, I'm always here for you."

Jinsoul and Jungeun showed their gratitude to Sana before saying their farewells. Jinsoul offered to carry the case, which was slightly heavy but nothing too challenging to carry up a flight of stairs. As they stepped out of the doorway, Sana stopped them by saying one more word of advice:

"Always stand by each other." Sana said before she closed the door. "If you do, then you see how much you succeed. Both with this situation or otherwise."

"We will! Thank you for everything! We'll see you soon!" Jungeun said, waving goodbye.

As Sana closed the door, Jinsoul smiled to herself. This was the first time within the last few months that Jinsoul actually felt confident. Of course, they still had a long way on their journey, but at least they had the reassurance that their work was beneficial towards their overall goal. They now had the third object with only two more to go. As long as they keep on track and the cult does not try anything unexpected or catch onto them, everything should come to light soon.

Jinsoul's thoughts were interrupted by Jungeun suddenly giggling out of nowhere.

"What?" Jinsoul asked, puzzled by her wife's amused expression.

"I just find all of this kinda funny!" Jungeun said between giggles before calming down. "Sorry, I know this all serious. But, I just find everything so fascinating. Think about it - we came here just so we can find out about the cult that we thought was just an everyday gang. But, within the course of about three months, it became more than what we intended. We reconnected with Sooyoung after a year. Hyejoo found out she had a soulmate. Heejin actually got herself a girlfriend after years of denying ever wanting a relationship. We saw Haseul again, and even was a part of a play with her. We met six human girls who are truly sweethearts and treated us with such a kind heart. We spent Christmas and New Year's as a group of twelve, which we always be a memory that I'm fond of. And, through all of that, we learned so much about the world around us and its past. It's quite amazing, isn't it?"

"We just learned about a new type of hybrid and you're focusing on that?" Jinsoul questioned as they began to walk up the steps.

"Yeah, but it all ties into my fascination. I mean, imagine what are lives would be like if we never came. It would probably be pretty dull compared to this."

"I suppose that's true. I'm glad you didn't listen to me when I said not to come to Earth."

"I'm glad I did too. Then again, when do we ever listen to you?" Jungeun snickered. "If you didn't come, we would've just left without you."

"I could see that." Jinsoul chuckled. "For once, I'd be cool with it."

The married couple finally made it to the top of the stairs and turned right towards Chaewon's apartment door. As they stood in front of the door, Jinsoul was about to knock.

"Hey, honey?"

"Yes, baby?" Jinsoul replied as her fist was about to hit the door.

"When all of this is over and we return back to our normal lives, what's next?" Jungeun began to ask. "Because, we dedicated our lives to this case for almost a year, even before we got married. I also spent time taking care of Hyejoo for years, but now that's done with. Hyejoo has Chaewon, so I doubt she'll need us much after this. So, what else is left for us?"

"Hmm.." Jinsoul hummed as she was deep in thought. "I guess we should start settling down. Hyejoo will probably live with Chaewon from now on, so she'll move out and it will be just the two of us. So, I think we'll maybe get a new place and start getting out lives together. Maybe get a dog or something? I haven't really thought about it..."

"Oh, that's okay." Jungeun pouted. "I was just thinking about it lately."

"Well, what do you want us to do?"

"I had one idea in mind." Jungeun's voice got quieter and darted her eyes. "I've been thinking about it ever since I started to care of Hyejoo. Everytime she would come over to my house after I fight with her father, I felt really blissful. Taking care of her became one of my favorite things to do. It was like caring for a child, and I enjoyed every second of it. We would cook together, I would teach her things that her father would be bothered to. It made me feel like my purpose was being fulfilled, and then I realized...that I want to keep doing that."

Jinsoul silently listened to her wife's words. The more she heard, the more she realized what Jungeun was leading to.

"So, I was wondering if maybe we could continue that?" Jungeun got visibly nervous. "Like, with another person - a child, maybe? And, you know, raise it?..."

"Jungeun..."

"I know you said that you don't want kids, but I just... I want you to understand that-"

"Wait, you really think that?" Jinsoul was taken aback at Jungeun's assumption.

"Duh! Remember the party? The one we had a Kahei's school after the play?" 

Jinsoul tried to jog her memory of what Jungeun was referring to. When she realized what it was, Jinsoul immediately felt regretful.

"Wait, no, that's not what I meant!" Jinsoul tried to stress, getting ahold of her wife's hands after leaning the case against the door. "I was trying to joke around at the time. I was mostly embarrassed about bringing up the topic so I tried to make a joke out of it. But, I really didn't mean it, babe."

"So, you want to have a child?..." Jungeun looked up at her with hope in her eyes.

"Of course I do! I would love to. I'm just experienced with the whole "taking care of a child" thing as you are. You had not only Hyejoo, but your younger siblings. I am an only child and never really learned about this..."

"I can always teach you." Jungeun rubbed Jinsoul's knuckles with her thumb to comfort her. "We will learn together and even if you make a mistake, I'll be there to support and guide you. We're in this together."

"Okay, then let's do it. After all this is over, we'll have and raise a child." Jinsoul smiled. "Sound okay?" 

"Oh my god, yes!" Jungeun exclaimed as tears trickled from her eyes. "Thank you!! You don't know how much this means to me!"

"You're welcome, honey. I just want to make you happy." Jinsoul placed a lingering kiss on Jungeun's lips, leading into a minute long kissing session. Jinsoul's hands traveled from her wife's hands to her cheeks as she wiped away her tears. After leaving one last tender kiss, Jinsoul brought Jungeun into a tight hug.

"I love you....so much..." Jungeun whispered between sniffles.

"I love you too..." Jinsoul whispered back, her fingers running through Jungeun's hair. 

"I am so ready to save the world now..." Jungeun chuckled. 

"Me too. Let's finish this as soon as possible...."

Few minutes later, Jungeun pulled away and rested her hands on Jinsoul's shoulder. Jinsoul let her hands rest on her wife's waist.

"You know, you should probably call Hyunjin and tell her what Sana said." Jungeun suggested, changing the subject. "Maybe that will help her in the research she's doing today."

"Yeah, I will. Just give me a few minutes so I can stop crying..." Jinsoul said, beginning to cry like Jungeun. 

"Aww... My baby is so emotional..." Jungeun cooed, pinching her wife's tear stained cheeks. "I thought you're supposed to be tough and stable one in this relationship..."

"Only you could make me cry at any time, I swear..." 

Jinsoul and Jungeun laughed breathlessly with bright grins on their faces. 

Sometimes, Jinsoul felt like their whole relationship was just too good to be true. They seemed to complimented each other well. They were not soulmates like Chaewon and Hyejoo were, but Jinsoul always saw themselves as such nonetheless. They fell in love with each other while they were still teenagers and their love have never died down since. Jungeun was someone Jinsoul never thought she needed in her life until she saw the hybrid all those years ago. Maybe they were not soulmates - but there was no need for such a bond when they already knew they were meant to be.

"Now, let's fucking do this."

***

"Hello? Jinsoul?" Hyunjin spoke into her phone as she was walking down the street. Heejin, whose arm was linked with Hyunjin's, eyed the phone when she heard the name of who was calling. 

*"Hyunjin, hey. I got some information from Sana that I think you should hear."* Jinsoul's voice sounded shaky and weak, which made Hyunjin worry.

"Are you okay? You sound like you've been crying."

*"Yeah, I'm fine. I have been but... it's a good thing."* Hyunjin could practically hear Jinsoul's smile.

"It's probably because of Jungeun. She never cries unless she's disgustingly in love." Heejin snickered. "You should've seen her on her wedding day. She cried so much that you could fill a fucking ocean with those tears."

*"Shut it, brat. I'm not talking to you for a reason."* 

"I guess I was right..." Heejin sang in a teasing manner, leading Jinsoul to groan into the phone. 

"Anyway, what were you saying, Jinsoul?" Hyunjin interrupted. 

*"Remember what we said yesterday? About this special dragon type and Chaewon being a part of it?"*

"Yeah?"

*"Well, you were right. Apparently, there was an ancient seventh type of hybrid called "lumena". That is what Haeun is, and possibly what Chaewon is transforming into. It's a long story, but they were pretty significant beings back then. But, when the war happened, the remaining lumena were banished to an unreachable dimension. The souls of the ones who died were sent somewhere equally as unattainable. Sana did not say this directly, but she implied that the cult was somehow tied to the souls - both seeking revenge towards all humans. We don't their exact plan, but at least there's a start."*

"Wow, that's... interesting." Hyunjin said, almost speechless. She knew that the cult held very hostile values against humans, but she would have never guessed that. 

*"I thought maybe you could look into it and see what you can find about the species. Luckily, Sana gave us the third object, with two more to go. She said that once we get all five, we should have all the information we need to intervene with the cult's plans."*

"That's reassuring. At least we have confirmation that our work is not pointless. I'll look into it and tell you what I find tomorrow."

*"Okay, please do. Because, by how serious Sana sounded, we have be quick."*

"I will." Hyunjin fully understood that they had to work diligently since the cult could be anywhere and ready to do anything. Meeting Yubin weeks ago taught her that. "See you tomorrow, okay. Also, update me on the third vision when you can."

"Understood. See you soon!"

"Bye!" Hyunjin ended the call and put the phone back in her jacket pocket.

"So, where are we going again?" Heejin asked as the call ended.

"The library I always go to. That's where I got all the books about hybrids. It's the only place that actually has books that contain historic facts instead of biased assumptions."

"You really like books, don't you?"

"I mean, sure. It's the only way to have precise representation of the past. The internet is filled with false information, so you have to take everything with a pinch of salt. If you haven't realized, a lot of humans like to portray your kind as monsters in any way they can." 

"I guess that's true." Heejin admitted. "But it goes both ways. There are a lot of hybrids who despise humans and make up so many lies. But, it depends on the type. Most fauna and wind types don't give a fuck about whether you're hybrid or human, while flame and death types have nothing but hatred towards them."

"You know, I wonder sometimes if we'll ever get along. Obviously, there's been progress, but we still have a really long way to go."

"It's going to be centuries before we actually can cooperate with each other." Heejin sighed. "But, we all just have too much enmity from our past."

Five minutes later, Heejin and Hyunjin turned the corner and saw the library building from a few feet away. They walked up to the front door and pulled it open. 

This was the first time Heejin joined Hyunjin on her trip to the library so she did not know what to expect. The library was small, with majority of the space being taken up by book shelves. There was a front desk near the front door with an elder lady sitting behind it.

"Hello deary." The librarian said with a smile on her face. "Coming back so soon?"

"Yes," Hyunjin chuckled sheepishly. She had actually came here about a week ago to search for more theory books. "But this time, it's for a more specific purpose."

"Well, you know I am always here to help!" The librarian's eyes wandered towards Heejin. "You have a friend with you?"

"Oh, yes! I'm Heejin." Heejin waved while bowing respectfully. "Nice to meet you."

"Same to you. I am glad Hyunjin found herself a new friend to talk to instead of burying herself in books all the time." 

"Please. Even after she met me, she's still obsessed with reading." Heejin rolled her eyes while chuckling.

"Well, that's my Hyunjin." The librarian put on her glasses. "Now, what are you looking for?"

"We're looking for a specific topic. I'm not sure if it's here, but I feel like it's worth a shot." Hyunjin walked up to the front desk, with Heejin following. 

"Well then, give a name or topic and I will search if we have a book featuring it." The librarian put her fingers over the keyboard, ready to type.

"Alright. Try the word: "lumena"." 

The librarian nodded and began to type the word into the computer. 

"It looks like there is one book featuring that word. Let me go get it for you!"

The librarian stood and walked from behind the desk to one of the book shelves. She searched for a minute before pulling out a book, heading back to them with it in her hands. She promptly handed over the book to Hyunjin. The book was fairly sized, probably about a hundred pages, with a thick cover. The title of the book read: "Life Before The War" with bold cursive lettering.

"It's not exclusively about this "lumena" you mentioned, but the author has it written a few times. Hopefully, this is what you're looking for!"

"Thank you so much." Hyunjin said with gratitude. "This is a big help."

"No problem! Now, let me check that out for you!"

"Okay, let me-"

Just then, Hyunjin's phone began to ring from her pocket. She was about to ignore it and call them back in a minute but then noticed that the caller ID read "Yeojin". So, Hyunjin handed the librarian her library card and walked a distance to take the phone call, leaving Heejin to finish up the transaction.

"Hello?"

*"Oh my god, Hyunjin!! I need your help!! It's an emergency!!"*

"What's wrong?" Hyunjin asked, noticing the panic in Yeojin's voice. Not only that, but her voice was trembling, signalling that she had been crying.

*"I already called the police but I have a feeling that it has something to do with that cult thingy you guys were talking about!!"*

"Wait, what has something to do with that? Yeojin, what's going on??"

*"It's Yerim! She's missing!!"* Yeojin screamed into the phone. *" Yesterday, her co-worker Hyojung called me to ask where Yerim was because she had not come back from her lunch break! I was worried, but thought Yerim was just coming home early or she went to go see Jiwoo or Kahei! But, then it became around seven at night and she was not home!! I tried to call her cell phone, but it kept going to voicemail!! So, I called the police but they still can't find her!!"*

"Wait, what?!!" Hyunjin exclaimed from utter shock. "Why didn't you tell us yesterday??"

*"I don't know!! I just didn't want you guys to worry since you're focusing on that cult thingy! But then I thought what if they took her! She seemed scared these past few days, so maybe!!"*

Hyunjin hoped that it was not true. The last thing they needed was to have to get into a confrontation with the cult. This was why Hyunjin had been careful everywhere she went, especially after meeting Yubin, because they were too dangerous to go against and they had no way of fighting back. That was also why she was hesitant in bringing others into this, because that would put more people in danger. So if Yerim was kidnapped by the cult, they were in big trouble.

"Okay, listen carefully. Heejin and I will handle it. Please don't leave your house until we find her. Tell Kahei the same warning."

*"What are you going to do?"*

"I don't know. But we'll figure something out. Just calm down and stay home!" Hyunjin demanded.

*"Okay... But what if we can't find her?"*

How Yeojin's voice sounded made Hyunjin's heart break. She sounded both frightened and distraught, which was a major contrast from her usual cheerful attitude. 

"We will. You have my word."

*"Okay, good luck!"*

Hyunjin ended the call and walked over to Heejin, who was waiting near the door with the book in her hand. 

"We need to go."

"Why? What's going on?" Heejin asked, worried by Hyunjin's stern tone.

"Yerim is in trouble. She's been kidnapped by possibly that cult. We have to go find her."

"Wait, how could she- fuck!" Heejin exclaimed, smacking her hand against her forehead. "What are we going to do??"

"Is everything alright over there?" The librarian asked, noticing the commotion.

"Uh, yeah! We were just leaving!" Hyunjin said before dragging Heejin out the door. They walked a few feet before continuing their conversation.

"Okay, what are we going to do??" Heejin asked impatiently. "There's no other choice but to go find her!"

"Wait, we can't just face the cult head-on." Hyunjin warned. "That would be stupid and we'll end getting ourselves killed. Plus, we still don't know if she's really there. We'll have to be smart about this."

"Then what are going to do then?"

Hyunjin was stuck on what she had to do. She thought of how she could even find out if Yerim was kidnapped by the cult or not. Someone had to go and find out if that is the case. Then that is when she remembered something.

"Sooyoung."

"What?" Heejin crossed her arms and tilted her head.

"She could go there easily." Hyunjin started to explain. "Sooyoung had been in the cult, so they would not question her being there. She could investigate whether Yerim is there and if she's okay. Even if we can't get to her yet, at least we can Sooyoung check on her and stall for time so we can save her."

"Well that's better than nothing." Heejin sighed, frustrated at the situation. She would rather save Yerim now than drag this out over a period of time, especially when that had a really good idea of where she was. But she understood that this should not be taken lightly, and this plan was better than having none.

"Okay, let me call her and then I'll let the other girls know." 

As Hyunjin took out her phone to contact Sooyoung, she truly hoped that Yerim was safe. So many outcomes could come out of this type of situation, so Hyunjin held on to the prospect that it would end up becoming the best one.

***

"So, I'm truly a hybrid?" Chaewon asked, lifting her head as she looked at Jinsoul with wide eyes. "What you guys said yesterday was true?"

"Yeah, seems like it." Jungeun sitting next to Chaewon placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. "I know it's hard for you to take in but..."

"Yeah... I mean, don't get me wrong! Being a hybrid must be a wonderful thing for all of you. But, I'm so used to bring human, so learning that I'm not what I though I was is staggering."

Chaewon was overwhelmed by everything that was going on with her. Having a soulmate was one thing, but learning that you are a part of a certain species when you were raised as being another was a completely different story. She felt like she had been deceived all her life to be something she was not. But, could she really blame her family for that?

Then, Chaewon thought of something.

"Wait, but what about my parents?" Chaewon asked, looking to the others for answers. "Are they hybrids? Or is there another explanation for this?"

"I don't think so...." Hyejoo replied, leaning forward in her seat. "There would be no purpose for your parents to hide this from you for this long if they were hybrids. But, can two humans spawn a hybrid?"

"I have never heard of a hybrid with human parents." Jinsoul admitted. "But, then again, I also never knew there was a seventh dragon type so anything is possible at this point."

"Good thing we're meeting your parents in a few days." Hyejoo noted, placing her hand over Chaewon's. "Maybe we can ask them."

"Yeah, hopefully." Chaewon sighed. She never would think that her parents would lie to her about something like this. Her parents had always been open with her from a young age. Chaewon would never suspect this from them.

"Maybe it has something to do with what ever the hell happened yesterday."

"Maybe," Jungeun pondered. "Chaewon, what did happen yesterday?"

"Truthfully, I have no clue." Chaewon stared at the tattoo on her arm and sighed. "All of sudden, my body became numb and I lost all my senses. It was like something, or someone, had taken over my body. Whatever that apparition was thinking, it forced me to speak it for her. It was a horrifying experience...and was terrified for my life. Luckily, I guess the apparition's only weakness is Hyejoo because when she comforted me, it calmed down."

"That sounds petrifying." Jungeun put her hand over her opened mouth. "How can you even explain that."

"That's the thing! We can't explain it. But we have to fucking figure it out before Chaewon gets hurt." Hyejoo seethed, the hand that laid over Chaewon's now gripping it tightly. Maybe it was her bond talking, but seeing Chaewon going through this without any proper explanation was starting to infuriate her. Even earlier, when Chaewon had told her as soon as they had woken up, Hyejoo felt anger bubbling in her chest. The blonde was obviously terrified, even though she tried her best not to show it. Chaewon did not deserve to have her life flipped upside down seemingly out of nowhere. Hyejoo just wanted to end this.

"Well, maybe this will give us more insight for now."

Jinsoul took the case and laid it flat on the floor. She then crouched down to open the case by snapping open the trunk latches. As soon as the item inside was revealed, Jinsoul audibly gasped.

"What is it?" Chaewon asked, not being able to see inside the case from where she was sitting.

"It's a sword." Jinsoul said with eyes and voice filled with wonderment. 

Everyone immediately stood up and walked over to Jinsoul. She was indeed correct. There, laying inside the case, was a large sword. The blade part of it was silver with bronze spots where it began to rust. The grip of the sword was velvet colored with a golden pommel. Jinsoul ran her fingers across the blade, amazed at seeing a sword up close for the first time.

"Wow...."

"This has to be centuries old. These kinds of weapons haven't been made for long time..." Jungeun remarked, just as astounded.

"Makes sense, since this is somehow tied to Haeun and Mi-Sun in some way."

"Chaewon, do you want to do this now?" Hyejoo asked, looking at her girlfriend with concern. "Because, I know yesterday was a lot to handle. We could do this later or even tomorrow."

"No, I have to do this." Chaewon said confidently. "Like Jinsoul said, we have to hurry to intervene with the cult's plans. This is the only way from way for us to find out how. This is possibly lots of lives we're risking here, and I'm going to let any one get hurt."

Hyejoo was about to dispute, but Chaewon said so self-assured. She was right - this is a situation that is imperative that they solve as hastily as possible. If not, that could risk millions of lives. So if Chaewon felt obligated to do this right now, who was Hyejoo to stop her? 

"Okay, but be careful." Hyejoo stressed, squeezing Chaewon's hand and stared deeply into her eyes. 

"I will, promise." Chaewon kissed Hyejoo's cheeks before getting to her knees and leaning towards the sword. She touched her chest to make sure the necklace was still there, getting confirmation when she felt the pendant. Chaewon then leaned closer until fingers were an inch away from the blade. 

Chaewon then took a deep breath as her fingers finally made contact with the sword. And just like previous times, her vision became white as she slipped from reality.

Hyejoo stood there, watching the still body of Chaewon with mouth gaped. Hyejoo could not help her hand that began to caress the top of Chaewon's head, feeling as though that was the only way she could support her girlfriend at this time.

"I wish I could go with her..." Hyejoo said longingly, letting out a dissatisfied sigh.

"I wish, but sadly it's only Chaewon." Jungeun sadly commented, watching Chaewon as well. "But have faith in her. She's made it this far, which even I wouldn't be able to do. I think she's stronger than you give her credit for."

Jungeun did have a point, Hyejoo had to admit. Chaewon was strong girl, even if she appeared to be frail at first glance. She has a certain perseverance that she possessed in any situation, which Hyejoo wish she could emulate. When Chaewon had her mind set on something, someway and somehow she would get it done - the Sooyoung situation being a primary example. So, Hyejoo had to give her the kudos for that.

An alarm went off on Jinsoul's phone that laid on the table. Jinsoul picked it up to see what was causing it, scrolling for a while. Then, Jinsoul's confident expression completely dropped as her face contorted with horror.

"What is it, baby?" Jungeun asked, quickly standing and looking over her wife's phone. Jungeun read through what Jinsoul had saw and soon her expression always turned into a frightened one.

"No..."

"Hey, what are you guys looking at??" Hyejoo scurried over to the couple, anxious to see what was causing their scared facial expressions.

Hyejoo looked at the phone, who screen revealed a news article. The title, written in bold letters, read out:

"BREAKING NEWS: SRPC robbed!! Dozens of imprisoned hybrids set free!! New threat incoming!!"

"What the-" Hyejoo snatched the phone away from Jinsoul to read further into the article. The few paragraph long article discussed briefly about a break-in that occured to the SRPC building. Somehow, someone had stolen all of their experiments and research, along with setting free all hybrids that had been imprisoned there while being used for said experiments. It was suspected to be an inside job, since it seemingly happened over night with no sign of forced entry. 

"How could this even happen?" 

"I mean, it's good that the hybrids were set free but most, if not all, are criminals." Jungeun spoke up. "Also, didn't Hyunjin say it was hard to get in that building?"

"Yes, but this article said it was an inside job. So clearly, the culprit - or culprits - must be working there. Why they decided to take now is beyond me." Jinsoul speculated, taking back her phone. 

"But how-"

As soon as the phone was in Jinsoul's grasp, it began to ring. Jinsoul saw that is was Hyunjin and swiftly accepted the call.

"Hyunjin! Are you calling about the SRPC attack?" 

*"What? No! Wait- the building was attacked??"*

"Yeah, yesterday night!" Jinsoul replied. "But, why are you calling then?"

*"Yerim is missing!!"*

"What?? How?" Jinsoul shouted into the phone, as Jungeun and Hyejoo listened on with alert.

*"I don't know! Yeojin just told me! We suspect she was kidnapped by the cult! I called Sooyoung for her to look into it for us! In the meantime, Heejin and I are going to go see Yerin, my officer friends from before, and see if she's got any leads on where Yerim might be!"*

"Okay, tell us where you are so we can come with you!" Jinsoul instructed into the phone, before turning to the others: "Jungeun, you're coming with me. Hyejoo, stay here and watch over Chaewon. We'll be back soon."

Both of them nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation and ready to act accordingly. 

After Hyunjin gave them the address, Jinsoul and Jungeun threw on their jackets and headed straight for the door, running out to get to the police station as fast as possible.

Hyejoo, now alone with her girlfriend, stares at her unmoving body and sighed. 

"Please hurry..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 19! The climax is coming, and it's coming fast! More insight was brought forth, and things are starting to make sense but there's still a long way to go! The chapter is self explanatory, so I won't rehash. But, be prepared for next chapter!
> 
> Also, this is a good time to discuss the future of this fic! I plan for this story to have at least 5 - 6 more chapters, but it's not truly the end! The last chapter will be longer, with a cliff hanger (yes, I know, I'm sorry!) that will lead into the sequel! Don't worry! The cliff hanger won't leave any unanswered questions, so you won't have to be too anxious. You will see when the final chapter comes! The sequel will essentially be a continuation of this plot, but taken in a new light. I don't want to spoil, but I know you all will love it! If you love the hybrid lore, you will enjoy the sequel! The sequel will possibly be even longer with this one with new storylines that play off of this plot. It will make sense soon! The sequel will be about less than two months after this one is finished, giving me to write. But, there will be one-shots posted through out the wait so you guys won't get impatient!
> 
> Tell me what you think of this chapter!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	20. 𝒊 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you took something away from me.  
> i got too comfortable and you attacked me.  
> now, a part of what i love is taken from me.  
> but that is what made me stronger.  
> now, i will not allow you to walk all over me.  
> with this new strength i have acquired,  
> 𝒊 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

Chaewon's eyes fluttered open. When her vision became clear, she saw that she was in a hallway. The hallway stretched a long distance, with doors and paintings decorated on both sides. Some of the paintings included portraits of a royal family - king, queen, princess, etcetera. On the floor was a long velvet carpet with gold patterns. The walls were pure white and were at least twenty feet tall. Based on these details, Chaewon assumed she was in a castle - more specifically, Haeun's. She did tell by the portrait of Haeun that was hung on the wall. 

Chaewon did not have time to admire the scenery, however. A minute after her senses returned, Chaewon's ears picked up the sound of someone yelling. Following the sound, she was lead to a door that was slightly ajar. Chaewon peeked through the door to see what the commotion was about. 

There stood three people - one of them being Haeun. The man and woman looked old and, based on the crowns on their head, seemed to be the king and queen. The king was standing firm, fists clenched with eyes glaring at Haeun, whose stature was equally as tensed. The queen merely stood on the side, appearing to try not to get in the way of the current argument. 

*"Father, I have expressed to you many times that I have no interest in marrying that prince!"* Haeun exclaimed, aggression present in her voice. 

*"Haeun, you have no say in this matter. You must marry the prince, end of discussion."* 

*"No, I refuse to live my life with a man I lack any attraction towards! That is utterly abhorrent!"* Haeun turned toward the queen. *"Please mother! Tell father that what he is forcing upon me is odious!"*

*"I apologize, my daughter, but your father is correct! You must recognize that this is for the good of our kingdom. We must suppress the tension between hybrids and humans and the only probable solution is for the betrothal of you and the human prince."*

*"I refuse to marry a man that I harbor no enthrallment towards! Surely there must be an additional option that will fathom the tension!"*

*"Unfortunately, there is no other."*

*"There must be! For not only does he raise no interest, he instead raises my suspicions. He has often been caught stalking me or making sly and sadistic remarks. I highly doubt that he has any good intentions."*

*"Honey, do not be ridiculous! He is a decent guy and shows great interest towards. You are simply paranoid, nothing more!"*

*"I do not understand how you could act this selfish. You were raised with the ideology that you will one day marry a man that will assist you in your ruling."* The father shook his head. *"What else would you be taking part in if not your betrothal?"*

*"Father, there are plenty!"* Haeun began to protest *"I have no desire to rule. I desire to travel the world and witness the sights unseen! I have developed an enticing interest in literature which I plan on converting into an occupation! And-"*

*"Literature? Who has planted this deplorable ideology in your head?"*

*"The aspiration was my own. Mi-Sun is also in agreement so I do not find it-"*

*"So that girl is corrupting you."* The king's jaw clenched and eyes squinted. *"I knew I should have intervened before she would enforce her immoral influence onto you."*

*"Do not even imply that Mi-Sun is corrupting me! She is simply supporting me, vastly more than you two have been!"*

*"Why do you defend this commoner so frequently? She is not worth the extenuation you provide when she is of such lower status!"*

*"Mi-Sun is more than her status! She is resplendent, nimble, and cordial! I enjoy every moment I spend with her, far more than you! I love her with my entire being so therefore I will not stand for your blatant prejudice and incivility!"*

Chaewon was taken aback by the distress in Haeun's voice. Even though she had only witnessed Haeun's behavior twice now, Chaewon perceived her as a usually calm and earnest individual. But here she was - almost in tears while yelling at her parents. Chaewon felt bad that Haeun had to be forced into something she clearly did not want. It was unfortunate that parents imposing their views onto their child was the norm back then. 

*"You dare pick a peasant over your own parents??"* 

*"I do, on the basis of Mi-Sun's love and care towards me. She has the decency to listen and not impose her ideals, unlike you both who sit on your high horse and prance around with your callous demeanor!"*

The queen let out an offended gasp while the king sent Haeun a death stare.

*"I have heard enough out of you!"* The king announced, voice booming. *"You will marry that prince, end of story! You are also banned from meeting with that peasant until you are betrothed! You are going to stay in the castle and not allowed to leave for any reason! I will ensure that our guards know about this decision as they will watch over you."*

*"You cannot do that!"* Haeun asserted, eyes blown wide and releasing more tears.

*"I can, and I shall. Now, go to your room!"* 

Haeun tried to find words to retort back with but ended up huffing and speed walking to Chaewon's direction. Chaewon quickly moved out of the way just in time for Haeun to walk through the doorway. Before she could get too far, Chaewon rushed to follow her. The chase continued until Haeun made it to what appeared to be her bedroom, storming inside and slamming the door shut. Chaewon could something *click*, assuming that it was a lock.

"Aw, man," Chaewon said to herself. "Now how am I supposed to see- wait."

If this was a vision from the past, then Chaewon could not do anything to change it. Therefore, she could not alter events that already occurred since this was not time travel. And if no one here can see or hear her, then...

Chaewon pressed her fingers against the door. Immediately, the fingers went through it with ease. So, Chaewon did the action with her whole body and found herself through the door and into Haeun's room.

"I guess I'm like a ghost here," Chaewon commented, amazed then chuckled to herself.

Haeun took a golden case out of her closet. Laying the case on the floor and opening it, the princess began to collect many of her personal belongings and placed it into the case. She only picked up a few things - including a few dresses, hygienic items, books, journals, and other miscellaneous items - and organized them. Finally, Haeun went over to her bed and got to her knees. She bent far enough so she could look under the bed and began to reach for something. After a few seconds, Haeun pulled out a large sword. The sword looked exactly the same as the sword Sana gave them, but shiny and a lack of rust. 

*"Hopefully there would be no need for the use of this sword. But, you shall never be certain."* Haeun insisted before placing the sword in the middle of the case. After everything was inside the case, she closed it and inserted a key in the keyhole, turning it until it clicked.

*"I shall escape when the moon is highest. Firstly, I must contact Mi-Sun for assistance. If we must leave the kingdom, we shall. I refuse to live a life of anguish for the sake of my parents."*

Haeun sat a desk at the corner of her room. She took out a sheet of paper and quill, beginning to write. Five minutes later, Haeun set the quill down and began rolling up the now written up paper. She walked over to her open window and looked around as if she was trying to find something. Finally, A smile spread across her face as she finally spotted it.

*"Soleil!"*

As soon as Chaewon heard the name, her eyes widened. At first, she thought it was a coincidence. However, that was speedily proven false when Chaewon saw a pastel yellow pegasus fly up to the window. 

*"Soleil, I have a message that must be sent immediately. It is crucial that it is sent to Mi-Sun as quickly as you can fly. Can you do so?"*

Soleil nodded, neighing happily. Haeun took that as a yes and put the rolled-up paper near a chain that was around the pegasus's neck, latching the paper on its pendant. 

*"Thank you!"* Haeun petted the creature. *"Now, be extra cautious to not let anyone but the love of my life see this letter, especially not my family. Understood?"*

Soleil nodded again. Haeun smiled and leaned forward, kissing the pegasus on the top of the head. 

*"Now hurry!"*

The pegasus listened to Haeun's directions and hurriedly flew away. Haeun then turned away from the window as her eyes wandered around the room. She then folded her arms and sighed. 

*"If only there was another way. But I simply can not stand the situation any longer."*

Then there was a pause. Haeun's eyes fixed on the case as she began to move towards it. Then she opened the case again.

*"Possibly, there is a second way..."*

Haeun lifted the sword. Her eyes drifted off and mumbled to herself as if she was having a mental argument to herself.

*"Although, I should wait until the time is right. Doing so without proper evidence will only make the situation worse. If I strike first, then I will be put to shame. If they strike first, then they would be put to shame. Therefore, I will be patient."*

Haeun put the sword back inside with a sigh. She locked the case and slid it under her bed, far enough to not be seen. 

*"Soon, they will all see what I have seen for years. I will make sure of that."*

Before Chaewon could process what Haeun said, the bedroom started to fade away. Her vision became white as she felt herself returning to reality.

***

Chaewon's head jerked forward. Her vision was finally clear and her surroundings were now familiar. Unexpectedly, she then felt hands on her shoulder, making her jump.

"You okay?" 

Chaewon turned to the right, seeing Hyejoo sitting next to her. She had a concerned but relieved look on her face as she tried to read Chaewon's facial expression.

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry." Chaewon smiled. 

"What did you see this time?"

"More about Haeun and- wait, where's Jinsoul and Jungeun?"

"They had to leave because something bad just occurred. We were told about it right after you drifted off..." Hyejoo let out a sigh. "The first was the SRPC getting robbed, which is somewhat a good thing because of those experiments being confiscated, but also hybrid criminals are now on the loose so that's an issue. But, also, there's a situation with your friend Yerim..."

"Yerim?" Chaewon tensed up, fearful for what happened. "What happened to her? Is she okay??"

"Well, she's been kidnapped... We don't know why or how. All we know is that there is a high possibility that the cult are the culprits. The others are trying to investigate, and Sooyoung is going to confirm if she's truly there or not."

Chaewon's faced contorted with fear as the gravity of the situation dawned on her. This was the one thing that Chaewon stressed constantly - that one of her friends would get hurt due to her involvement. Chaewon knew that the cult was a dangerous group that could strike at any time, but she would have never suspected Yerim would be a target. 

"I'm sorry, Chaewon..." 

"It's not your fault," Chaewon reassured, trying to stay positive. "We will find Yerim. If she was abducted by the cult as you suspect, then she should be easy to locate. Then we'll get her back as soon as we can. Yerim is as sharp as a knife, so I have no doubt that she'll be fine as long as the abductors don't try to harm her."

"That is what I was hoping." Hyejoo sighed. "But we have to act hastily before the cult gets any ideas. I highly doubt that we will able to get her right away since it's seven of us against hundreds. But, at least we can monitor her until we find a way to save her."

"Well, as long as I know she's safe..." Chaewon said in relief. "What about Yeojin? How is she holding up with the news?"

"Not very well, from what Heejin told me over the phone. I called Heejin and she said that Yeojin was devastated."

Chaewon knew as soon as she heard this news that Yeojin would have the hardest time digesting it. Yeojin was never one to be able to handle these sorts of hazardous dilemmas, especially when it affects the people she loves.

"Maybe I should go comfort her, while you guys handle this crisis."

"No, you have to stay here," Hyejoo demanded, the grip on her girlfriend's shoulders became stronger. "We don't know who else they're targeting and you very well could be next. We can't afford any more people getting kidnapped."

Chaewon wanted to oppose, but she ended up sighing in defeat. Hyejoo was right - Chaewon would be an easy target, especially since she was closely tied to Hyejoo and the others. Even though it was now established that Chaewon was not human, she did not understand her magic so she was just as vulnerable as Yerim.

"Alright, I understand. I'll just call her at least." 

"Good. You call Yeojin and I'll go find the others at the police station. Don't leave your apartment until we come back." 

Chaewon nodded as they both stood up from the floor. Hyejoo made sure to call Jinsoul to confirm that they were still at the police station and asked her to send the address, which she would put into the GPS. Throughout these few months, Chaewon had taught Hyejoo about technology and how to use her phone, so now it was no longer a hassle. 

"Stay safe," Chaewon said as Hyejoo opened the door. "I don't want anyone else getting hurt."

"I will, baby." 

Hyejoo cupped Chaewon's face and pecked her gently on the lips, looking sincerely into her girlfriend's eyes.

"I'll be back before you know it."

Hyejoo forced herself to pull away and proceeded to walk out of the door, closing the door behind her. Chaewon then locked the door. 

As Chaewon headed towards the couch to sit down, she thought of what the outcome of this dilemma would be. She yearned for the best outcome of every one of her friends coming out unscathed, which was fairly feasible. But there was no way to be sure, especially when they do not know the reason for the cult's actions or what they were planning. Hopefully, Yerim was safe.

***

"Where are you going?" Jiwoo asked, looking up from her phone when Sooyoung heading to the door caught her eye.

"Yerim has been kidnapped." Sooyoung started to clarify. "Hyunjin asked me to check out the cult hangout to confirm that she is being held there. I'll be back soon."

"Yerim? But what would they want with her?"

"Who knows? Honestly, the cult always does the most random shit just to toy with people."

Jiwoo was about to inquire for more information, but Sooyoung was already halfway out the door. By the time she opened her mouth, the door was shut with the hybrid being nowhere to be seen. 

Jiwoo was quick to open her contacts and began to call someone. 

"Gahyeon!"

*"Yeah, Jiwoo? What's up?"*

"My friend was abducted by the cult! I don't know the details because Sooyoung left before I could ask." 

*"Oh, really? I'm sorry. But, Sooyoung left?"*

"Yeah, she's going to the cult base to confront them."

*"Interesting..."*

"What do we do??"

There was a long period of silence.

*"Don't worry, Jiwoo. We will handle it. Just stay in your house for a while."*

"Wait, how will you-"

*"You gave Sooyoung the necklace, right?"*

"Uh, yeah I did."

*"Great. Give us some time. We'll take care of your friend."*

Jiwoo was hesitant to reply. Gahyeon sounded suspicious, which made Jiwoo become uneasy. She seemed more interested in Sooyoung than actually saving her friend. Even if Sooyoung was still technically involved with the cult, Jiwoo doubt that she was directly involved, but who knows? But, Jiwoo gave Gahyeon the benefit of the doubt that she was truly trying to be helpful.

"Sure.."

*"You trust me, right?"*

"Yeah! Of course! I always trust you!"

*"Good. Stay safe, sweetheart."*

Gahyeon ended the call after this, leaving Jiwoo utterly flabbergasted. At this point, Jiwoo was lost on what to believe. She began to question whether or not she was doing the right thing getting involved with Gahyeon. It seemed justifiable in the beginning, but now Jiwoo was not so sure. But, this was her friend. 

So, why does she feel so anxious? 

***

Sooyoung stormed into the store, quickly turning towards the front desk. She walked up to the hybrid that sat there, fists clenching.

"Yoohyeon. What the fuck do you guys think you're doing?"

"Oh, hey Sooyoung!" Yoohyeon said, seemingly oblivious. "What's up?"

"Don't act so innocent. I know you all took Yerim."

Yoohyeon chuckled lowly and set her book down, looking at Sooyoung with amusement.

"Maybe we did. Why does it concern you?" 

"I told you not to target my friends!" Sooyoung yelled, slamming her hands on the desk. "This is between me and you all. She has no involvement with your plan."

"Well, she wasn't initially." Yoohyeon began to explain. "But then she decided to sneak into our hideout by following Minji. She's learned too much, so we had to take care of her. But don't worry. We didn't kill her or anything. We could use her in some way."

"What could you possibly need with her? She's just a poor human who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just erase her memory or something."

"Actually, she's way more involved than we thought. Turns out, this human seems to have a lot of connections..."

Sooyoung became more enraged by the minute. She should have expected that they would try something with her friends, but she was always in such denial. Although, Sooyoung was confused by what "connections" Yoohyeon was referring to. Hyunjin? Hyejoo, maybe? Not many of her friends served any threat towards the cult, so that fact was puzzling. 

"Look, if you have any questions then take them up to the boss. I'm just relaying what I was told." 

"Where is she?"

"Where else?" Sooyoung looked at her as if the answer was obvious.

After this, Yoohyeon opened the secret entrance and led Sooyoung to where Gahyeon was. They walked down the dim passageway before entering a familiar office. And sure enough, there was her boss sitting behind her desk, looking up and smirking when she noticed Sooyoung entered.

"Long time, no see."

"Look, I'm not here to play games. Where is Yerim?" Sooyoung commanded.

"She's somewhere safe, don't worry. I'm not going to hurt her...well, I can't say the same about Minji." Gahyeon chuckled. "She is eager."

"Ah yeah, you should've seen her!" Yoohyeon commented with a laugh. "She was ready to kill her if we didn't intervene! You're lucky!"

"What do you even need her for? She serves no purpose in what you're trying to do!"

"Well, that's the thing, she does. But, that's for me to know and for you to find out. For now, I would be more concerned about all those hybrid criminals being on the loose."

"Wait, what hybrid- no." Sooyoung's eyes broadened. "You didn't... Please tell me you guys didn't release all of them."

"We did but you should've known." Gahyeon stood up from behind the desk and walked over to a cabinet. She pulled out one of the drawers and took out a binder. 

"What is that for?" Sooyoung asked, watching as Gahyeon shut the drawer and open the binder.

"Just so we can keep a record." Gahyeon walked over to Sooyoung with the binder in hand, opened to the first page. "These are all of the brothers and sisters we had almost lost. They had been imprisoned for months, some of them even years. But now, they are free."

Sooyoung stared as Gahyeon flipped through the pages. There were hundreds of hybrids listed in this binder, some of them were people Sooyoung has worked with for years. A lot of them had checkmarks next to their names, but there were a few without any.

"Unfortunately, some did not make it. But, we will avenge them once our plan is complete."

"Why the sad face, Sooyoung?" Yoohyeon teased, hands clutching Sooyoung's shoulder. "Isn't it wonderful you get to see them again? You've grown up with these hybrids. You miss them, don't you?"

"That is not the point," Sooyoung said sternly. "You guys just raided a huge company and let out tons of criminals! Now, people are going to become more frantic! I know you guys planned this from the beginning, but you said it was just for the experiments and then to get Han Dong back. Letting them all out was overdoing it."

"First of all, we did get the experiments and Han Dong. We just took a few...extra things along the way." Gahyeon began to comment, closing the binder. "Secondly, you're one to talk. Weren't you supposed to be locked up with them?" 

"What?..."

"Oh, don't act like an idiot. You've committed crimes way worse than some of the hybrids on this list. You've murdered a lot of humans without any repercussions. The only reason why you were able to avoid punishment was thanks to Bora. For some reason, she seems to love and tolerate you more than we ever could."

"You know that those crimes were not my fault! " Sooyoung exclaimed. "You guys fucking drugged me, so don't go blaming this shit on me when I had no free will."

"Well, " drugged" is a strong word. More like...you happened to smell a flower more than once that just so happened to make you turn savage. Not as bad as you make it seem."

Sooyoung was ready to walk out right then and there. But she was not about to leave with Yerim or at least get an explanation as to why they needed her. This was not the time to rehash things she has been arguing for years. 

"Listen. All I need is for you to release Yerim. She does not need to be a part of this."

"Hmm, not yet," Gahyeon replied, not giving her demand much thought. "We have to keep her around for a while until we can get our hands on that girl. Then we can make an exchange."

"You're never going to find her, you know that right? She could be anywhere in this city. You might as well give up now." 

"That is where you're wrong." Gahyeon set the binder on the desk before returning to her seat. "We've already located her."

"What? You can't be serious!" Sooyoung mouth gaped. "How could you even-"

"Easy. We actually located her about a month ago. We had a pretty good idea of who and where she was, but we only got confirmation after New Year's. We just have to wait for her transformation to be complete, and then we'll make our move. As a matter of fact, we might be able to snatch her within a few days with how fast she's learning of her abilities."

"You'll never be able to get her." Sooyoung protested. "Didn't you say that she had a hybrid soulmate that is meant to protect her? Surely, that hybrid would not let you lay a finger on her."

"Maybe so. But, as long as neither the soulmate not the girl knows of what she is capable of, then that won't be an issue. Besides, we know where all of her possible whereabouts are thanks to one of her friends."

Sooyoung tried not to believe a word Gahyeon was spewing. This cult had been trying to find this girl since the day they formed with no luck. Now, all of sudden, they know where she is? It seemed unbelievable. But, then again, Gahyeon was smart - too smart. And that was the area that Sooyoung could not beat her at. Gahyeon was always one step ahead and evidently knew your next move before you even made it. That was what Sooyoung feared the most.

"Anyway, I think our conversation is done here." Gahyeon crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "You should probably return to your friends with the news so they don't worry about their precious friends. Also, you should let them know that if they try to get the police on us that we will no longer show mercy towards Yerim. Also, I think you know that if we go down, you will come with us. So, attempt to plan your following moves very carefully. We're always watching."

Sooyoung sighed, turning around to step out the door.

"Oh, by the way, how's Jiwoo doing? I'm sure she's lovely, isn't she?"

Sooyoung paused when she heard Jiwoo's name. She slowly veered her head around, glaring at her boss.

"What about her?"

"Oh, nothing. Just curious."

"Look, you better not try to come for her next!" Sooyoung shouted, pointing a finger at Gahyeon. 

"I'm not, believe me. She's my friend, so I would never hurt her." Gahyeon giggled sinisterly. "Besides, weren't you supposed to kidnap her in the first place? Oh, right. You became "good" because of how "nice she was". As a matter of fact, if you had actually followed those simple instructions, we would be in this predicament. But, here we are."

Sooyoung had finally had enough and stormed out of the office, leaving Yoohyeon and Gahyeon laughing. 

"You really enjoy playing with her, don't you?" Yoohyeon asked between laughs. 

"Yeah, a little," Gahyeon admitted with a smirk. "I just love how she gets so heated over a simple joke."

"Hello? Ms. Gahyeon?" 

Two hybrids peeked through the door with papers in their hands. They both looked young, maybe about thirteen or fourteen years old.

"We have some information that Yubin wanted us to tell you." The first hybrid said. 

"Oh, do tell!" Gahyeon sat up in her chair excitedly. "Any good news?"

"Yes, ma'am!" The second hybrid announced, beginning to read over the papers. "Hyejoo had joined the others in the police station. She told Jinsoul that Chaewon had completed her third vision. And they are looking for ways to get Yerim back!"

"Tell Yubin to not worry about them looking for Yerim. Sooyoung will relay the message to halt their search. Now, as for Chaewon..."

Gahyeon pondered for a moment, eyes wandering. She then looked back at Yoohyeon, smirking proudly.

"Yoohyeon, start preparing the serum with Siyeon. Also, let Bora and Minji make one last check of that cave where the ritual will take place. Han Dong is started to prep Haseul, so we are almost ready. We still need more time. Once Chaewon gets the final vision, she will be fully ready for what we need to do. Then, we'll strike. For now, stay low and don't cause any suspicion. If you suspect any of her friends are catching on, do not be hesitant to take action. But, do not hurt Chaewon or Hyejoo. You must leave those two to me. Otherwise, go crazy but don't cause too much commotion. The Red Sun event is coming, and there is no room for mistakes."

"You got it, Gahyeon! Come on, little ones!" Yoohyeon said, motioning the two kids to follow. "How about you two help me and Siyeon with that experiment, hm?"

The two kids began to cheer as the three hybrids exited the office, leaving Gahyeon alone. Once the sound of excited children faded, Gahyeon reached into a drawer in her desk and pulled it. She then spotted what she was looking for and took the item out. The item was a photo, torn up and in black and white. Gahyeon traced the details of the girl in the picture, who had long hair and crown on her head. Then, she smiled to herself.

"Don't worry, precious princess," Gahyeon whispered. "You will be avenged soon. You thought you would be lost forever, but I'm here to save you. Once the Red Sun comes, you and all of your race will have a second chance. All humans will pay for their crimes against our kind. Everything will be just the way it should be."

Gahyeon kissed the photo before setting it down on her desk to admire it.

"Nothing will get in the way of me bringing you back. Nothing at all."

***

"Thank you anyway, Yerin," Hyunjin said as she and the others walked out of the police station. "At least you tried to help."

"I'm sorry we couldn't help you find your friend right now." Yerin apologized. "But, we are still working on it. Once we get any leads, we'll be quick to let you know."

"Thank you," Jinsoul said, with Yerin closing the door of the police station right after. They all walked a few blocks before speaking up.

"So, I think we can be sure that Yerim is with that cult," Heejin commented, speaking up first. "There's no other explanation."

"Of course, she is." Hyejoo agreed. "Who else would want her? It's clearly a scare tactic."

"But, Yerim has been the least involved, along with Yeojin." Jungeun brought up. "Wouldn't it make more sense to kidnap either Jiwoo or Kahei?"

"Maybe she was just the easiest target." Jinsoul inferred. "Besides, it doesn't matter if Yerim is partly involved or not. She's our friend, so of course they would use her to their advantage."

"Yeah, I suppose so-"

"Hey! You guys!"

The five women swerved their heads around to see who was calling out to them. It was Sooyoung - running up the group hurriedly.

"She's there!" Sooyoung announced as she approached them. "Yerim is with the cult."

"Well, at least we know where she is." Hyunjin sighed. Even though Yerim being with the cult was dangerous, at least she was not in the hands in someone they were not familiar with and therefore could be more hazardous.

"So, how can we get her back?" Jinsoul asked, getting impatient.

"Well, there's the thing. We can't get her back right now." Sooyoung started to rationalize. "They are not willing to give her back. They said they'll only give Yerim back once they get ahold of someone else. But, Yerim is not hurt in any way currently. The only way to ensure she doesn't get hurt is not to let the police know of them, otherwise, they will get violent."

"Wait, who is this "someone else"?" Heejin asked, making air quotes. 

"I wish I knew. But what I know is that this girl is someone this cult had been looking for for years. Apparently, they already located her but are just waiting for her to finish her "transformation". The girl has a soulmate, which gives her a little protection. However, they said they already located her and know her whereabouts."

"So, that's what they're trying to do." Hyunjin realized. "This is a way to lure out that girl, isn't it?"

"Maybe. But, initially, it was because Yerim found the hideout and they could not afford her telling us, I presume."

"Wait. Hold on a minute." Jinsoul thought for a moment. "You said they're looking for a girl who has a soulmate and is transforming, correct?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Sooyoung shrugged. 

"They're holding Yerim hostage because she would be able tell to us what she learned otherwise. Why would they care so much if we knew? It's not like we would understand the information if we couldn't do anything with it. So, we must have what she is looking for, which is clearly that girl. And, if that girl is supposed to have a soulmate and going through a transformation then...."

It took the others a few seconds to understand what Jinsoul was leading to. But then, Hyejoo gasped as her eyes dilated. 

"Chaewon." Hyejoo recognized, voice trembling. "They're looking for Chaewon." 

"Wait, how?" Sooyoung asked, not understanding.

"Remember, I am Chaewon's soulmate. And, you don't know this, but Chaewon had been "transforming" for the past few weeks - ever since she passed out at that party. She's been having visions that had been slowly changing her into this ancient hybrid called lumena. It's a long story to explain how we know, but just understand that Chaewon is not human."

"So it is true."

"What?"

"When I heard you two were actually soulmates," Sooyoung sighed. "I was worried that one of you was the girl that they were looking for. But, I forced myself to believe it wasn't true."

"Well, there you go." Heejin crossed her arms. "Not only is Chaewon becoming the special and valuable hybrid, but now there's a cult of hundreds of hybrids trying to abduct her. Can things get even more confusing?"

"Well, what should we do?" Jungeun asked. "Should we stop trying to get the visions or..?"

"We have to finish," Jinsoul instructed. "We have to know what they're trying to achieve. Maybe if we learn what they are looking for with Chaewon, then we can understand the cult's motives. We still have no clue of what they are planning, so this is the only way. Otherwise, this shit will just continue until they get what they want."

"Then it's settled." Hyunjin agreed with Jinsoul. "We will hurry to find the two final objects. We will have to protect Chaewon at all costs. She can't leave her apartment for any reason during this time. Hyejoo is supposed to be Chaewon's protection, so you will have to stick by her side no matter what. We will also assist in any way we can."

"And I'll try and figure out the cult's next moves," Sooyoung added. "It will be difficult, but I'll try my best."

"Good, then it's settled."

The group of women conceded on the plan. Now, they had to be vigilant and cautious with every move they made. Chaewon was now their top priority and they could not let her out of their sights. Hyejoo, being the most worried, was completely content with the idea - not wanting anyone to get their hands on her precious girlfriend.

They did not know how long this will go on for, but they have been through too much to become lackadaisical now. This was when every following action could determine how the situation would result in. 

"Let's go home so we can tell Chaewon the news." Jungeun insisted. "I guess she would have to take a break from her job until we can solve this."

"She has to." Hyejoo agreed. "They already know her whereabouts, which could very much include her job."

"But, how do they know where she repeatedly goes to?" Heejin asked, pondering. "I mean, maybe they spotted her at the cafe, but where else could see her?"

"I don't know," Sooyoung shrugged. "They sounded so sure of themselves. So, I guess they've been following her for a while."

"That only adds to the plan of not letting her leave the apartment."

Hyunjin twirled the necklace around her neck as she pondered. The more she thought, the more her mind recalled the memory of Yubin. Yubin had said that they were somehow always watching, even threatening her and seemingly knowing her connection with Heejin. If Yubin was not bluffing, then there were either two options - that they just happened to be everywhere they were or that they had some sort of person or object that was spying on them on behalf of the cult. Hyunjin believed the latter more, but what could it be?

"Let's just get to Chaewon before anything else happens," Hyejoo stressed as she began to walk off, with others following her.

As Hyunjin turned to follow, her eyes caught on a glimpse of something that was around Sooyoung's neck. 

"Hey, Sooyoung?"

"Yeah?" Sooyoung turned around to face Hyunjin, giving her a better view.

"Where did you get that necklace from?" Hyunjin asked as she noticed the jewelry. 

"Oh, Jiwoo gave it to me. Why?"

"Well, it's weird because it looks just like mine," Hyunjin noted, showing her necklace to Sooyoung. They both had the same type of necklace, with the same emerald green pendant attached. "Haseul gave it to me years ago as a way to teleport between dimensions."

"Oh, that's strange." Sooyoung cocked an eyebrow. "I should ask where Jiwoo got this. Because if the necklace had the same purpose, I don't think you get something like this that easily or by mistake."

"Exactly..."

They both stared at the necklaces for a while. But, they ended up shrugging it off and continuing on their way.

It must have been a coincidence, right?

***

Yerim's eyes fluttered open. At first, her eyes were blurry and hazy, not allowing her to become aware of her surroundings. It took a minute before her vision became clear as she was able to perceive the unfamiliar location.

She was in a dark room. The walls were grey and dirty, as well the floor she was laying on. The state of the room made her feel claustrophobic - with the space being very small with no source of light. The door was only a few feet away from her, a metal door in the same condition as the rest of the room. 

As Yerim tried to stand up, she noticed two things. The first was that her legs felt weak, causing her to fall back to the floor as soon as she stood. The second was that when she tried to put her hands out to catch herself from falling, Yerim saw that her hands were chained together, not allowing any sort of movement besides twisting her wrist and moving her fingers. 

As she hit the floor after her third attempt of standing, Yerim felt immense that did not allow her to try once more. She just laid there - feeling helpless and scared for her life.

Then, she remembered the last event that happened before she got here. She had been running away after she witnessed that cult meeting, but was ultimately caught by Minji. Then, it was lights out. She did not know how long she has been here or what occurred while she was passed out.

While in the middle of her thoughts, her ears picked up the sound of the metal door unlocking. Then, she heard the creaking sound of the door finally opening but Yerim felt too weak even to react.

"Looks like you're awake, sweetheart." A woman said as she entered the small space. "Took you long enough."

Yerim did not respond.

"Aw, no need to feel terrified. I'm not Minji, so I won't hurt you. I'm even friends with Sooyoung."

Yerim lifted to her head towards a short woman with plum colored hair that was gradually making her way to her. The woman then bent down to get a better look at Yerim.

"Aw, poor baby. I'm sorry this had to happen to you. But, you weren't supposed to hear any of that. If only you had followed Minji's advice and had not been nosy. I really hate having to hold you here."

The woman caressed Yerim's face, face laced with sympathy.

"But, I won't hurt you, babydoll. You just have to stay here until we get ahold of your friend. Then, you will be set free. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"Chaewon..." Yerim said hoarsely with a cough. "You...want her...."

"Yes, sadly we do." The woman sighed. "But, it's not Chaewon's fault. It's what she is capable of that makes her a target. It could have been anyone, but she was cursed from birth. But we won't hurt her either, trust me."

The woman stood back up and headed towards the door.

"We just want to make this as painless as possible. If your friends cooperate, then we would not need to become ruthless. It's as simple as that, sweetie."

Yerim continued to cough as a response, not able to get her words out. She terrified for herself, her friends, her girlfriend, and especially Chaewon. She felt so helpless, and that angered her even more than anything else. She hoped that this woman was telling the truth and that her friends would not try anything risky.

"Also, food will be ready in thirty minutes." The woman continued. "Then later, you will get to meet a special friend. We are prepping her right now, but you'll see her soon."

The woman fully walked out of the doorway and began to close the door.

"Oh, and if anyone tried to give you any trouble, just call on me. I'm Bora, by the way."

And with that, the door was finally shut and locked. The room returned to its dark state, with no more light shining through. And there Yerim laid - feeling lost.

If only there was a way, but Yerim could not find one. She was just a measly human with no magical abilities whatsoever. It felt like the end, but Yerim refused to let go of her hope.

"Please hurry..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 20! I don't have much to say since everything is self explanatory. But, as I said last chapter, there is about 5 - 6 chapters left! But, it is not the end of this storyline as there will be a sequel that will continue this. It will be released in about two months, with sneak peeks and side stories leading up to it! This sequel will focus more on the hybrid dimensions and more worldbuilding, but I will save any spoilers for later! Just know that this main storyline far from over! 
> 
> Tell me what you think of this chapter in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	21. 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i know I won't fully understand what you're going through.  
> for, i am not you or are inside your head.  
> but the least i can do is show you that I care.  
> whether we just met, or know each other well,  
> i know I can try and sympathize  
> and now, through all of your pain and suffering,  
> 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

After Jinsoul, Jungeun, and Hyejoo returned to Chaewon's apartment, they explained the whole situation to her. 

At first, Chaewon was panicking - which is understandable considering the circumstances. She had a vast number of questions, most of them being left unanswered. Jinsoul made sure to explain the plan as detailed and precise as she could as to not let Chaewon become more frantic. Chaewon still felt fearful even after this but calmed down somewhat. If her friends were assured that this plan would work, then she would be assured as well. 

Ultimately, Chaewon had to contact Seunghee so she could get off work for a while. She simply told her manager that she had been threatened with the high possibility of being abducted, with her friend also being held hostage. Seunghee was understanding, due to the fact that there are hybrid criminals on the loose. She was actually planning on closing the cafe for a few weeks until the dilemma gets resolved. 

Chaewon would be locked inside her apartment, which had no complaints about it. She had never been a social person in the first place, unlike Jiwoo or Yerim, and only chose to leave her house to get basic essentials or for work. Now, Jinsoul and Jungeun offered to go shopping for her, which Chaewon felt guilty for. But the married couple insisted on not letting Chaewon leave for any reason so that including groceries. 

Maybe in the meantime, Chaewon could focus on things that would take her mind off of the imminent danger. With Hyejoo not leaving her side, they would mostly spend time together and would take part in activities as a pair. In addition, her two pets seemed to enjoy the extra attention, since she had been leaving her home more often these days. Chaewon also had time to continue to write the book she has been working on, so that was a positive. At this point, she just tried to do anything that would distract her.

All of that led up to now. Currently, Chaewon was sitting up comfortably on her bed, occupying herself with her writing. Hyejoo was laying right beside her, watching YouTube videos off of her phone. Chaewon had recently taught Hyejoo all about YouTube and videos in general. The hybrid seemed to be fascinated by this new discovery. She would often spend hours just watching these videos with gaming videos being the favorite.

As Hyejoo finished another gaming video, she looked up to see what her girlfriend was up to. Chaewon had been mostly quiet for the past hour, only speaking up to ask how she was doing. Looking over Chaewon's work, Hyejoo could see why.

Chaewon had managed to write so much that there were only a few pages left unwritten in her one hundred and fifty-page journal. Hyejoo knew that the blonde was passionate about literature, but never realized it was up to this extent.

"Babe, you really wrote this much all in a few hours?" Hyejoo asked, watching Chaewon finish another page. 

"Yeah, I guess so!" Chaewon responded, clicking her pen and setting it down on the bed. "I've been so inspired lately so now I can't stop writing."

"That's incredible! Can I take a look?"

Chaewon bit her lip and eyed Hyejoo nervously. She was never confident enough to show off her writing. Chaewon was always worried about being judged or overly criticized for her efforts. But, Hyejoo never seemed like the type to be judgemental over anything, whether she had an interest in it or not. Maybe that was a result of her being an open-minded person.

"Sure," Chaewon replied, putting a marker on the page she left off on and flipping to the beginning. She then handed Hyejoo the journal.

Hyejoo happily took it - sitting up from her laid back position. She started with the first line and read every single word. Chaewon originally thought that Hyejoo would just read a page or two, but the hybrid ended up reading a whole chapter. So for the next twenty or so minutes, Chaewon waited anxiously for her to finish and provide her opinion. There was no way to tell of Hyejoo's thoughts since her face stayed mostly neutral, with her nodding and humming every once in a while. Ultimately, that only added to her anxiety.

"So, what do you think?" Chaewon asked, with Hyejoo setting the journal down.

"I don't know what to say..."

"Oh..." Chaewon's heart dropped. "That's o-"

"That was so incredible!!" Hyejoo exclaimed, startling Chaewon. "I loved it!"

"Really?..." Chaewon asked, blinking in disbelief. 

"Yeah, really! I never knew you could write this well! I mean, yeah there was that play. But it did not even compare to this! Everything was so detailed to the characters and the setting. I also love fantasy-themed stories, so this is way up my alley. I don't know much about books nor have I read a large number of some, but this was too amazing!"

Chaewon was speechless by all the compliments. She had been nervous to show anyone her work for years; even the script she had to make was something she was scared of. But hearing Hyejoo say just sincere words about her hard work was a huge relief. 

"What's wrong?" Hyejoo asked, analyzing the emotional look on Chaewon's face. "You look you're going to cry..."

"Oh, n-no! It's just..." Chaewon tried to hold back tears but ended up failing. A single tear ran down her cheek with more following. Hyejoo quickly reacted as she started to wipe away Chaewon's tears as they fell. 

"Tell me what's wrong, baby..." Hyejoo whispered, trying to wipe the endless tears as the blonde sobbed.

"I'm sorry... I know I'm overeating but..." Chaewon sniffled. "Just hearing you say that just makes me feel so happy. I was so nervous that you would hate it or thought it was weird but...you don't."

"Oh baby, of course, I don't hate it. You are really talented, which I would never lie about. You worked so hard on this and it clearly shows. This story deserves all the praise in the world!"

"Thank you..."

"No need to thank me. I'm just speaking the truth."

Chaewon felt more than grateful for being blessed with a girlfriend like Hyejoo. It was funny to think that months ago she never thought about finding a significant other, often choosing to stay single. But now, Chaewon could not comprehend how she could have ever thought that. Hyejoo was one of the best things to happen to her. It may seem too cheesy or overdramatic, but it truly represented her thoughts. Maybe it was because they were soulmates but Chaewon did not care. They were both content, and that was what mattered.

"You know, this feels like a deja vu..." Chaewon giggled, wiping away her own tears with her wrists.

"How so?"

"Well, it reminds me of the second vision I had. Haeun was writing and seemingly oblivious to her talents, while Mi-Sun was there to praise her. I knew that those two reminded me of us, but this just feels like an unbelievable coincidence."

"Hm, we are like those two, aren't we?" Hyejoo hummed, pondering on the idea. "I think that is the point. We were probably meant to represent them. I guess you could say that we are like the modern version."

"You could say that. You and your mother are so similar, even to the way you treat others. But that makes sense because you two are related. But Haeun and I? We aren't related, at least I don't think so... My mother does not look like her at all nor is she named Haeun."

"I guess we'll have to wait for more visions to find out..."

"We do..." Chaewon nodded. "But, what about the event from the other day?"

"You mean, with that apparition that possessed you?"

"Mhm. I was thinking that what if that was Haeun?" Chaewon asked, sounding sure of herself. "She was calling out to Mi-Sun for some reason, so it makes sense. Plus, the voice sounded like her. I don't know, it sounded better in my head..."

"It very well could be." Hyejoo agreed. "But, then that begs the question of "how?". How could somebody long gone still exist in spirit? Why you and why now? That is what makes no sense."

"And that is why I have doubts..."

"Oh well. I'm sure we'll figure it out eventually..."

Chaewon leaned back onto the headboard of the bed. Even if they had a better understanding of what was going on, there were still so many mysteries that had to solve. One of the mysteries that seemed to stump them continuously and held them back from a full grasp on the situation was Chaewon's connection with Haeun. Sure, they looked alike and seemed to have the same personality traits and hobbies but that did not explain its significance. Maybe the remaining two visions will provide an explanation. Hopefully, because the third vision seemed to not explain much other than who Soleil was. 

"Looks like we have a visitor."

Chaewon looked towards the door, confused at what Hyejoo was referring to. She saw her cat Nari slowly moving towards the bed, near Hyejoo's side. She then braced herself and jumped onto the bed, crawling onto Hyejoo's lap and getting comfortable. 

"Hey cutie.." Hyejoo began to pet the cat, causing the animal to purr. 

Nari had grown a lot since Hyejoo had come to live here. When she got here, Nari was only a small kitten and was oftentimes clingy towards Chaewon. But now, she had grown into a larger cat and was not as attached to the blonde as before. Nari would actually sleep a lot of the time or would play with Bbomi. 

"She's really affectionate all of a sudden, huh?" Hyejoo asked as Nari began to rub her face into the hybrid's hand. 

"Oddly enough." Chaewon chuckled, watching the scene with glee. "I wonder what's gotten into her."

"Probably just hungry." Hyejoo joked, making them both laugh.

"Is that what you want, sweetie?" 

Nari repeatedly meowed at the couple, making Chaewon take that as a yes. Sometimes, Chaewon thought that the cat could actually understand her but that would be weird. But then again, everything that has been happening lately was much weirder than that so there still is a chance.

"Alrighty then! Let's go get you some food!" Chaewon ran her fingers through the cat's long white fur, purring becoming louder as a result. Just as she was about to pull her hand away, Chaewon saw a glint of light in the corner of her eye. She ruffled Nari's fur again until she found the source of glint. 

"What is that?..." Hyejoo asked, squinting her eyes and taking a closer look at the cat's forehead. It was some sort of tiny gem that rested on the forehead of Nari. It was golden in color and was shaped into a sun. 

"Oh my god, this can't be..." Chaewon was stuck in awe, eyes fixed on the gem. No way could Nari be connected to all this, right? She tried to remove the gem, thinking it had fallen into the fur somehow, but it did not budge. It was like the gem was a part of the cat because when Chaewon tried to tug on it, the cat let out a loud meow and pulled away.

"Has that always been there?" Hyejoo asked, watching as the cat moved over to Chaewon's lap.

"No, I don't believe so. I found her in an alley when she was a couple of weeks old and she certainly did not have this."

Unbeknownst to Chaewon, Nari brought her mouth close to her right arm, near the part with the tattoo, while the couple was conversing. Eventually, the bridge of her nose began to rub against the tattoo. Chaewon did not pay any mind to it until Nari began licking at it, tickling her. 

"Nari, what are you doing?" Chaewon asked, pulling her hand away from the cat's mouth. Nari was quick to react and put her front legs over Chaewon's arm, shifting her weight on to it and pulling it back down to her level. After this, she continued her licking, focusing more on the sun design.

"Just when I thought this situation couldn't get any weirder..." Hyejoo sighed. She brought her arms over to the cat and picked it up, holding the animal in her arms. "I'm just going to put her in the living room. Do you want me to feed her?"

"Only if you want to! I can do it." Chaewon offered, looking at Hyejoo carrying Nari out the bedroom.

"No, I can handle it. Just rest here and I'll be back in five minutes." Hyejoo insisted as she left with Nari out of the door.

Chaewon looked at the tattoo on her arm. She wondered what could have caused her pet to act in such a manner. It was unlike the cat - ever since she had grown up - to act with such fondness. Maybe it was due to her possible hunger, but even that seemed implausible since this was the first time Chaewon had witnessed this. Maybe it had something to do with the gem that was ingrained in her forehead, which they had just discovered. Chaewon did not know when that appeared nor how it would even appear out of nowhere. Both the gem and the tattoo were related to the sun which was now established of being a symbol for the lumena, so it seemed most likely.

Just when she was about to return her writing and save the thought for later, Chaewon began to feel light-headed. There was a sharp pain that sourced from her right arm, specifically within the details of her golden tattoo. It continued for the next few minutes, with Chaewon holding her head as her eyes became unfocused. She thought it would pass by quickly, assuming it was a part of her "transformation" that she was experiencing. This was not the first time Chaewon would have a headache or small pains without warning, so she should be accustomed to it. However, this pain felt much different from her previous episodes.

The pain only became more unbearable, to the point that Chaewon could not even think straight. Her head was spinning and throbbing, disorganizing her thoughts. The pain that began in her right arm had reached other parts of her body, being most prominent in the middle part of her back. It became so grievous that Chaewon began to moan in agony and curled herself into a ball, hands on either side of her head and knees up to her chest while lying sideways. Her eyes were forced to shut as hot tears overflowed through her eyelids. 

Through the pain, Chaewon tried to yell out for Hyejoo, but her voice only came out in a whimper. Every time she said her girlfriend's name, it would come out so hoarsely and quietly that Chaewon could not even recognize her own voice. She had to lay there, weeping from the torment while hoping that her lover would come soon.

Meanwhile, Hyejoo was setting the food bowl in front of the impatient cat, who happily began to nibble from it. She always took the opportunity to set up Bbomi's food while the dog was sleeping, saving her for doing the task latter. 

Then she felt it. And it hit her like a dozen bricks.

Hyejoo almost collapsed to the ground as she felt a sudden agonizing pain all over her body. She ended up saving herself from falling by bracing herself against the wall, body leaning against it. It came so suddenly that Hyejoo's head became fuzzy and her thoughts distant. She began groaning from the torture, unable to move from her spot. 

A minute later, Hyejoo tried calling out to Chaewon. The blonde had not responded, which made her worry. Then, a thought tried to break through into her dizzy mind, making itself known. It was then that she heard the familiar weak voice:

*'Help me... Hurts....Hyejoo....'*

The tiny whimpers and pleas are what pushed Hyejoo to her feet, moving her shaky legs towards the bedroom. As she entered the room, her heart completely shattered. There was her lover - laying there in a curled up position, sobbing in pain and slamming her clenched fist into the mattress. It brought Hyejoo to tears immediately as she tried to walk over to the bed, sitting on the edge on Chaewon's side. She immediately brought the wailing girl into her lap, hugging her close. Despite her own pain, Hyejoo's seemed to be more bearable. Maybe it was because hybrids could naturally withstand more pain, but then again, Chaewon was also turning into one. The source of this pain could only be due to the transformation. Since one of the side effects of their bond was that they could feel each other's pain, a slightly less painful version of what Chaewon experienced would be passed on to Hyejoo. When it was minimal, Hyejoo could easily bear it. But this was obviously not one of those times.

Chaewon could barely move in Hyejoo's arms, lightly convulsing as her tears stained the flame hybrid's chest. She would beg ever now and then, pleading for Hyejoo to end this torture. Hyejoo wished she could, but there was nothing she could do as it was out of her control. When she finally found the strength, Hyejoo reached for the phone and started to dial Jinsoul. Unfortunately for them, Jinsoul and Jungeun had left to go get groceries over an hour ago. Hopefully, they were close to the apartment and had a way of ending the pain, since they both could not take much more of it.

*"Hello? Hyejoo?"*

"Jinsoul...you need to come now..." Hyejoo let out between groans. "It's an emergency..."

*"What's wrong? Is the pain back?"*

"Yes but so much worse... This is the worse one by far and.... fuck, it hurts so bad. You need to get here fast because I don't think Chaewon can withstand this..."

*"Okay, we're almost there. We are about five minutes away. Try to ignore it as best as you can until we get there."*

It was extremely hard to ignore something that hurt this bad, but Hyejoo was so frustrated that she could not respond with a snarky remark.

"Fine. Hurry up!"

Hyejoo ended the call and placed her phone to the side, returning her attention to Chaewon. She still reacted the same to the pain, meaning that it was not becoming bearable any time soon. So Hyejoo tried the best she could to call her girlfriend down by tenderly kissing her on top of the forehead while her thumb lightly caressed Chaewon's thigh. It did not hinder the agony, but at least she could draw their attention from it even a little bit. 

"Please..." Chaewon sobbed, her voice coming out in a whisper that Hyejoo almost did not hear. "Take the pain away...please..."

"I'm so sorry, baby..." Hyejoo whispered back, placing an additional kiss. "I wish I could... I really wish... It will get better, I promise..."

"Please..."

Chaewon did not let out anything else but pleas and whimpers. It only made Hyejoo more raged by how helpless she was. She wanted to take this away, but there was nothing she could do but sit there and cry with her lover. At this point, the pain in her heart started to hurt more than any pain she felt in her whole body. 

***

Jinsoul hurriedly unlocked the door to the apartment. She and Jungeun did not waste any time, throwing the groceries on the ground and rushing into the bedroom. 

There sat Hyejoo, holding Chaewon in her arms. Chaewon was trembling in her lap and crying profusely, hugging her knees up to her torso. Hyejoo tried to comfort her, whispering consoling words in between forehead kisses. They were so sucked into the moment that neither of them looked up at Jinsoul and Jungeun as they entered.

"Hyejoo," Jinsoul called out her name as she walked over the bed. Hyejoo had looked up at her and a sigh of relief.

"Finally..." Hyejoo responded breathlessly. "Took you long enough..."

"Fuck, this is bad." Jinsoul commented, crouching down in front of their pair, getting a closer look at Chaewon condition. "How did this happen?"

"I don't know... It just happened while I was out of the room. I felt pain and I came in here... Then I saw Chaewon like this..."

"Chaewon?" Jungeun whispered, also crouching down until she was at Chaewon's eye level. "Do you know how this happened?..."

"N-No..." Chaewon stammered, voice weak from crying. "Please just make it stop...."

"Jinsoul." Jungeun began to say sternly. "Try calling Sana to see if she could come over. I'll try my best to suppress the pain in the meantime."

"Understood." Jinsoul stood up and pulled out her phone, walking into the hallway as she started to dial.

"Okay, honey," Jungeun returned her attention to Chaewon. "Tell me where it hurts the most..."

"M-My right arm and back... Also, I have a major headache... But everything just hurts so much..."

"Okay, Hyejoo, lay Chaewon on her stomach." 

Hyejoo nodded and turned around in bed with Chaewon in her arms. She carefully laid her down and tried to turn the blonde on her stomach. Chaewon unfurled from her curled up position in order to make it easier for Hyejoo. Eventually, Chaewon was fully laid on her back in a prone position. 

Jungeun decided to focus more on her back since that seemed to be aching the most based on how she perceived it. 

"Hyejoo, are you okay enough to get my medical bag?" Jungeun asked.

"Yeah, I can tolerate the pain enough..." Hyejoo replied, standing up cautiously. "Where is it?"

"In our bedroom. Second drawer in the dresser."

"Got it." Hyejoo walked carefully out of the bedroom, making sure not to put stress on her body. 

Jungeun turned her full attention towards Chaewon, becoming serious. She took Chaewon's shirt and rolled it up until her back was completely uncovered. Chaewon's back was slightly red from possible inflammation and did not show any initial injuries and lacerations. Jungeun thought about what could cause such pain out of nowhere and with such severity. Taking the last few days into consideration, she had a hunch that it had to do with the transformation. But, why would it hurt so badly now? 

That was when Jungeun had a theory. It would explain this, but she needed Chaewon to confirm it to be true.

"Okay, Chaewon? I'm going to put a little pressure on a few points on your back and I want you to tell me where it hurts the most."

"Okay..." Chaewon responded quietly, sounding nervous.

Jungeun proceeded to start with the lower back, pressing her thumbs against it and rubbing it in circles. Chaewon responded by hissing, face cringing.

"How does this feel?"

"Hurts, but not as bad..."

Jungeun continued her thumb motions upwards. Every inch she moved, she asked Chaewon how it felt. Chaewon would moan in pain and respond by saying that it hurt more every time. Eventually, Jungeun reached a certain part of her back that was right below the shoulder blades and bra band. Chaewon let out the loudest moan yet and her fists clenched, crying again.

"Ahh!! Stop!" 

Jungeun quickly pulled her hand away from Chaewon's back, repeatedly apologizing.

"Sorry, sorry!" 

That was when Jungeun realized that her theory was highly likely. 

Just then, Hyejoo came in with the medical bag in her hands. Her face was contorting with pain but tried to hold it together. 

"What the fuck was that pain...ah.." Hyejoo hissed, handing Jungeun the bag.

"I was trying to find out where Chaewon's back had the most severe pain. Looks like I found it."

Jungeun zipped open her medical bag and searched inside. She pulled out a small bottle of ointment and snapped open the cap, following with her leveling the bottle over her hand and pouring a little bit into it. Rubbing her hands together, she then took her wet hands and began to caress Chaewon's back with it. 

"Ah, it's really cold..." Chaewon commented, body tensing.

"I'm sorry, it's supposed to be." Jungeun apologized sympathetically, temporarily halting her movements to give Chaewon time to adjust. "It will help soothe the soreness and inflammation. It acts the same way as what you humans call an "ice pack"."

"Okay..."

Jungeun continues to spread the ointment all of her back, making to pay extra attention to the most agonizing areas from earlier. She made sure to caress the area gently as to not cause too much pain. Hyejoo got on her knees near Chaewon's face. She could tell just by her facial expressions that Chaewon was trying to hold back tears and to ignore the discomfort. So Hyejoo tried to start a conversation to distract her from it.

"Hey, baby..." Hyejoo whispered quietly, getting Chaewon's attention. "How are you doing?..."

"Not very good but I'll be okay..." Chaewon responded, smiling softly. "What about you? I know it sucks that you have to feel this pain too..."

"Don't worry about me. I can handle this. Hybrids can tolerate a lot of pain. It stings, but I can manage it when I don't think about it too hard..."

"Still, to be hit with this out of nowhere..." Chaewon sighed. "Why did this happen?..."

"I have a feeling that damn cat has something to do with it. But I just don't know how she could cause this. Maybe it's that gem thing?..."

"Maybe... I'm sure Sana will know...."

At that moment, Jinsoul walked into the room. She walked over to see what Jungeun was doing before addressing them.

"Good, this will help." Jinsoul commented, sounding relieved before saying: "I called Sana."

"What did she say?" Jungeun asked, still continuing her task.

"She's coming over in a few minutes. She said to make sure that Chaewon is relaxed and to ease any pain as much as we can. She also said that this might be the next stage of the transformation."

"Next stage?" Hyejoo questioned. "What is the next stage supposed to be?" 

"You know how we can transform into our partway dragon selves? As in, staying in our human form but gaining our dragon limbs such as wings, horns, etcetera? Yeah, that."

"That's what I was thinking. You see here?" Jungeun pointed to the middle of Chaewon's back. "This was where the pain seemed the most prominent. The same place where the wings would sprout."

"Wait... So I'm turning into a dragon?..." Chaewon asked worriedly, turning her head slightly towards Jinsoul.

"Only halfway." Jinsoul clarified. "You won't become a large beast or anything, just gain the appendages while keeping most of your human structure. Just like what you saw with Heejin that one time."

"But, does it always hurt?..."

"No, just the first time. It varies, but the first time you can grow these appendages is painful. However, it occurs when we turn ten years old, and it usually takes an hour. Personally, mine was not too bad, but that could be due to the fact that aqua hybrid limbs are smaller than other hybrids."

"I remember mine." Hyejoo reminisced, cringing at the memory. "It hurt so bad. It took me almost two hours until it was done. It probably would have been more bearable if I actually had a father to support me instead of telling me to "suck it up", but I got through it."

"Wow... And so, then this could last for hours?" Chaewon asked.

"It depends," Jungeun replied as she pulled her hands away from the blonde's back. "We don't know how lumena limbs look like, so we can't tell. It depends on the length and width of the limbs, as well as its usefulness in regards to the dragon type's abilities. It could be less than an hour or a couple. Let's hope for the best option."

Chaewon groaned. She did not know if she could handle this pain any longer. The ointment that Jungeun put on her back did soothe it, but the burning sensation still lingered. Hopefully, Sana would have a way to fully ease it, or maybe even shorten the process. 

There was a knock at the door, making Jinsoul stand up to go open it.

"That must be her," Jinsoul said before walking out. 

"Just hold a little bit longer, okay?" Jungeun said softly to Chaewon. "It will be done before you know it."

"I hope so..." Chaewon whined, looking at Hyejoo for comfort. "Please stay with me..."

"I'm not going anywhere...." Hyejoo pecked her lips delicately. "I'm right here..."

They both looked into each other's eyes with tenderness in them. The longer their eyes were fixed, the wider their smiles grow. It was one of those moments where even though the situation was distressing, at least they could through it together and motivate each other as a result.

"Alright, where is Chaewon?"

Sana entered the bedroom behind Jinsoul. Her eyes fell on Chaewon, lips curled into a frown. She immediately went to the bed without haste.

"How long since this has started?" Sana asked, looking around at everyone for an answer.

"About twenty minutes?" Hyejoo responded. 

"Okay, then not so long until she's done. It's usually an hour-long, so let's hope for the best."

"Do you know what could have caused this?" Jungeun asked as Sana crouched between her and Hyejoo.

"It could be many things. The visions, or sudden exposure to magic. It is most likely that some display of magic relating to lumena magic is what could act as a trigger."

"Does a "display of magic" include a cat having a gem with the lumena symbol licking at Chaewon's tattoo?" Hyejoo questioned.

"Oh... So that's what happened?"

Sana sounded like it was a normal occurrence, making the other women look at her confusedly. The older woman began to chuckle as if something was humorous.

"What?" Jinsoul stared at Sana, not finding the humor.

"No, it's nothing you would understand." Sana waved it off. "I assume the cat you're talking about is your own. And if that's the case, then that is completely coherent. I'm supposed you have not noticed."

"I'm lost..."

"Don't fret. I'll explain it on a later date, but to keep it brief... Let me just say that some things, or some creatures, were set up in order to guide you. You saw Soleil and she helped you discover something you would have not found on your own. Then there is me. You l do not realize how many helpers were sent to guide you."

The four women comprehended what Sana was hinting at. They did have a lot of help in their journey, and they certainly would not have progressed without them. Although, a cat was not something that they would have ever suspected until now.

"What should we do until the time comes?" Jinsoul asked.

"Just watch over Chaewon and make sure she is as comfortable as possible. This is a grueling transformation and we can't have Chaewon passing out or becoming overwhelmed by the pain. Just like with what happened in the cave, the exposure could be damaging to her health."

Jinsoul, Jungeun, and Hyejoo nodded, agreeing to the plan. Chaewon tried to get herself as comfortable as possible, trying to focus her thoughts on other things. As she was trying to mentally occupy herself, a voice popped up onto her head.

*'I bet you will be beautiful...'*

Chaewon choked on the air with her eyes widening, with everyone turning to her with puzzled looks. Hyejoo smirked, chuckling to herself.

*'Wh-What do you mean?...'*

*'Your dragon form. I bet you would look gorgeous with your wings. You already are breathtaking, so I bet you would look ethereal once your dragon appendages come in...'*

*'Why would tell me with this so shamelessly?..'* Chaewon's face turned red. 

*'I don't know, for several reasons. One, because it's the truth. Two, it's the first thing that came to mind. Three, you said you wanted to distract yourself so I'm helping. And four, because you getting flustered is so adorable..'*

*'Okay, one, stop flattering me. Two, of course, it is. Three, well it worked. And four, no it's not?'*

*'Yes it is!'*

*'No it's not!'*

*'You are so cute!'*

*'I'm not cute!'* 

While the couple was mentally arguing with each other playfully, the other three women looked on with vastly different expressions. Jungeun giggled and Sana stared in awe, with Jinsoul slamming her face into her hand.

"Do they always do this?" Sana questioned, eyes completely fixed.

"Unfortunately..." Jinsoul groaned, avoiding to look at the scene.

"It's like they're in their own little world! It's so adorable!!" Jungeun cooed, simply amused.

"Well as long as it keeps Chaewon occupied and Hyejoo from raging from frustration, then I won't complain about it..."

Jinsoul sighed when she heard the younger couple giggling. 

"... For now."

***

Kahei began to pack her bag as the students filed out of the classroom. The end of the school day had finally approached, too quickly in Kahei's opinion. But at least she could home and rest, which she could never complain about. Her students were extra rowdy today but it usually made her day more fun for both the kids and herself. In addition, it distracted her from her personal life.

"Ms. Kahei?"

As Kahei put the final sheets of paper into her bag, Yuri had come to the teacher with her usual nervous demeanor. Her voice was so quiet that Kahei almost did not notice her.

"Yes, Yuri?" Kahei responded, giving the child her full focus. "Is there an issue?"

"No, I just wanted to ask..." Yuri began, shifting in place. "Is Haseul ever coming back?..."

The question caught Kahei off guard. She should have expected that one of her students would ask about Haseul eventually, but it still felt off-putting for her. After Kahei made the announcement that Haseul would not be back for a while, after many students asked about how her and Haseul's relationship was going, there was an underlying sadness within the classroom. Yuri was justified, since they had gotten close during the play, and returned to her shy self after Haseul had left. Kahei assumed that the reason the rest of her students were disappointed was because they were expecting her to date Haseul, their not-so-subtle shipping being overheard. Now it seemed impossible.

Kahei was hurting, but she tried not to show it in class. It seemed inappropriate to let her emotions dictate how she carries herself in class and treated her students, so she made herself appear content. But, internally, she was broken. Kahei truly did not know how much she relished in Haseul's company until she has left. Coming home to her empty and quiet home felt so out of place now. She truly missed the hybrid, but it was too late now.

"She will be coming back," Kahei responded with a smile. "She just has some adult things she needs to deal with first. Then she will be back. She won't be gone forever."

"Okay, I was worried... because I really miss her," Yuri admitted, keeping head down. "She was like a best friend. She's even like am older sister... because mine is not around a lot. I hope she's back really soon..."

"She will be. Trust me." 

It was supposed to be comforting for Yuri, but Kahei was more trying to comfort herself. She said this daily as a way to ingrain it into her head until she would believe, but there was always doubt. The doubt that Haseul would decide to never return, crushing Kahei's hopes. But she did not express this thought to an eight-year-old and chose to stay positive.

"Okay... I believe you! I'm going to wait for Haseul to come back!" Yuri jumped up excitedly. "I'm going to make something for her while I wait! That will be fun!"

"Yes, that would be fun!" Kahei's smile turned stiff. "I would love to see it when you're done!"

"Okay! I will!" Yuri grabbed her book back and put it on her back. "See you tomorrow Ms. Kahei!"

"Bye, Yuri! Have a nice day!"

Yuri waved as she skipped out of the classroom, leaving the classroom completely vacant except for Kahei. She then grabbed her bag, took one final look at the classroom before then exiting for the day. Before she could leave school, Kahei had to find Yeojin so they could leave together. Usually, Yeojin stayed longer to assist other teachers. But they decided to leave together since it was safer than going alone. Anyone could be out to kidnap or hurt them, so it was for the best.

Luckily, Kahei did not have to search far as she saw Yeojin walking down the hallway. Normally, she had a bright smile on her face and was practically skipping with every step. But now, Yeojin's demeanor took a complete one-eighty as her face was dressed with a frown while she dragged her feet up to Kahei. 

"Hey..." Kahei said as Yeojin reached her. "How are you feeling?..."

"Well besides the fear I feel for Yerim being in the hands of a cult and the loneliness that comes with her being gone, I'm just peachy...* Yeojin sighed, walking past Kahei and moving towards the front door. Kahei followed close behind.

"It will get better, okay?" Kahei tried to comfort. "It's not like Yerim is dead or being tortured. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and that was the result. She will be fine as long as we don't instigate or agitate the cult. Then we will get her back."

"Why did she have to follow the woman?" Yeojin asked out of frustration. "She should of just let Hyunjin or the others handle it. She could've gotten killed!"

"I know, she shouldn't have followed that cult member. But she had good intentions. She truly wanted to help and felt like this a prime opportunity to. Unfortunately, that probably wasn't the best plan..."

"Exactly..."

Yeojin shook her head in disappointment before they both went through the front doors. They expected to walk home together, with Kahei dropping Yeojin off at her apartment. But they did not expect to see Heejin standing there near the building. When she noticed them walk out the front door, Heejin immediately turned to greet them.

"Hey, you guys leaving now?" Heejin asked as they approached her.

"Oh, yeah, we are!" Kahei replied. "Why are you here?"

"Hyunjin told me to take you both home. She was worried about you guys walking on your own without much defense, so I'm supposed to be your bodyguard for a while."

"Oh, well thank you!" 

"It's cool. I'd rather not have to deal with another one of my friends going missing."

Yeojin let out a loud sigh, drawing the other women's attention. 

"She's still sad about Yerim?" Heejin whispered to Kahei, quiet enough for Yeojin not to hear.

"Yeah," Kahei whispered back a reply. "But can you blame her? I would be sad too. She's just scared that she'll lose her girlfriend and childhood best friend."

Heejin made a noise of comprehension and nodded. She understood why Yeojin was this upset. Even though the cult leaders had said Yerim would not get harmed as long as they cooperated, they were still unpredictable. They could have already killed Yerim and was just giving them false hope. But Heejin chose not to focus on the latter. Yeojin, however, had every right to be terrified. 

"Alright, let's get going." Heejin declared, changing the subject. "Since Yeojin's place is closer, we'll head there first and then go to your apartment."

"Sounds good." Kahei agreed. "Let's go."

With a nod from Heejin, they began to walk towards Yeojin's apartment. The journey was pretty quiet, with Yeojin sighing every now and then. Kahei wanted to speak up and break the silence, but she ultimately kept her mouth closed. She did not know Heejin that well compared to Yeojin, so she had no idea of how to start a conversation between them. So, as to not make a fool of herself, she just walked quietly.

Eventually, they made it to Yeojin's apartment building and Heejin walked Yeojin up to her own apartment space. 

"Do you need anything before we leave?" Heejin asked as Yeojin walked into her apartment.

"No, I'll be okay. I'm just going to stay here for the rest of the day.... Thank you..." Yeojin replied, beginning to close the door. Before she did, she whispered: "I'll see you soon."

"See you," Heejin said but was not sure Yeojin heard as the door was shut. Either way, she walked back to Kahei so she could take her back home.

"Did she still look gloomy?" Kahei asked just as they were strolling away.

"Yeah, but we should just leave her alone," Heejin suggested. "She'll only get better when Yerim is saved, so it's not worth bothering to cheer up."

"You're right..." Kahei admitted, staying silent after this short exchange.

They continued to walk to Kahei's apartment with not a word being spoken. She expected the silence to be carried throughout the entire walk, but then she heard Heejin clear her throat and look at her.

"Do you miss Haseul?" 

"Huh?" Kahei exclaimed, flabbergasted at her question. "Oh, yes. How did you know?"

"It was obvious from the party." Heejin explained. "You guys seemed to form some kind of bond, so it's not surprising."

"We did get pretty close. But, she was only supposed to be here until I got better, so I can't blame her for leaving."

"Did you try to get her to stay?"

"Not really. I didn't want to seem presumptuous. It was her decision to make and I had no right to interfere with that. Besides, she'll come back once in a while so I can wait."

"I get that." Heejin hummed, understanding Kahei's argument. "But, I feel like you should have at least persuaded her. Haseul is not the type of person to cling onto people, no matter how close she is to them. The person Haseul was the closest to is Jungeun, but they hadn't talked in almost a year. I bet that she did not want to stay, but didn't want to seem like a bother. But, I guess that depends on how far your relationship got."

"Well, we did become friends, I suppose. But I think the strangest thing that happened was that the entire time she was there she...was distant. And then, when she about to leave, she seemed to open up a little bit and even hugged me, which was weird because she was scared touched me since she came."

"Wait, she hugged you??" Heejin stopped in her tracks, utterly shocked. "Like, willingly??"

"Yeah?... It was strange and I never expected it, but yeah, it happened."

"Then that changes everything..." Heejin said in awe. "Haseul never makes physical contact with anyone around her age or older. It's a long story but basically, Haseul had gone through something traumatic. She went from being our optimistic leader of the group to becoming closed-off completely. It was so torturous that she did not let anyone get close to her, which included physically. We ended up not visiting her much overtime because she wanted to be alone and we wanted to respect that. We hadn't seen her until we had to save you... So, for her to hug you...that means you've broken through a barrier we've been trying to break through for years..."

Kahei was amazed at how significant that simple sign of affection was. At the time, she was shocked by the action but tried not to make a big deal out of it. But now she knew that it was a major deal. It made her see her bond with Haseul in a new light, that it could have been worth more than she gave it credit. It made her heart flutter slightly, but also break a little. They could have been a lot closer if they had lived together longer, but now she lost that chance.

"Either way, it's too late..." Kahei noted as they continued walking. "She's gone and I can't go visit her. I can't teleport as you can..."

"Who says you can't visit her?" Heejin exclaimed. "I can take you to her if you want. You can't stay too long because of the frigid temperatures, but you could stay a night or so."

"Really?" Kahei jumped in excitement, pulling Heejin into a hug. "Thank you so much!" 

"Yeah, it's not a big deal." Heejin shrugged but hugged her back. 

"I've never known you could be this kind." Kahei teased, letting out a giggle.

"Yeah, it's new for me. I think dating Hyunjin is changing me, unfortunately."

Kahei laughed as she pulled away from the embrace. With her attitude becoming more blissful, she and Heejin continued to the apartment, arriving in a mere five minutes. Heejin waited until Kahei unlocked her door and entered, making sure she was safe.

"We can go visit Haseul tomorrow," Heejin said before leaving. "I'll ask Hyunjin about it and get back to you."

"Sounds great!" Kahei responded. "Thank you."

"No problem. I'll see you later."

Kahei waved before closing the door, leaving Heejin by herself. She felt weird being the one to comfort others since she was not a very apathetic person. But maybe spending time with not only Hyunjin but everyone else she encountered was changing her. It was peculiar for her, but not unwelcomed.

Heejin was beginning to walk away, ready to get back to Hyunjin and just rest for the day. But then she had only walked a few steps before stopping in her tracks from a voice not far behind her.

"I didn't expect you to turn all soft. These humans have really changed you."

Heejin jerked around, startled by the unrecognizable voice. She was about to speak up, but all the words she was going to say got stuck in her throat when she saw who it was. Heejin instead stood there, only able to let out a name.

"Yubin?..."

"Yeah, it's me. But I have no time to waste."

Yubin stepped closer and grabbed Heejin by her arm, tugging at her to follow. Heejin tried to pull away but her efforts were futile as her grip was tight. In addition, the dangerous look in Yubin's eyes made her think twice about fighting back. 

Yubin seemed to find this engaging, laughing to herself while Heejin could not find the humor in it. Instead, the latter was more concerned with the sinister grin this woman had. When Yubin finally spoke up, her voice became lower and was laced with dark intentions.

"I have a proposition I need to ask you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 21! Sorry for uploading a few hours late, I was a little busy and did have time to review or edit a few things! But, at least it's still posted on Wednesday, so it works! Hopefully, it being longer will make up for it! This chapter has to major plotlines that will be continued on next chapter! I will warm you that these chapters will get longer as we reach the end, but I hope you like them! Next time we will focus on the continuation of these two plotlines, as well as a scene with Jiwoo and Gahyeon, which I know you will love! I'll try not to post later next time!
> 
> Also, this book will probably end at Chapter 26, but there could be one more if needed. Like I said, the sequel will continue this overall plot and will have about 25 - 30 chapters! It will be posted near the end of August, so be ready!
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	22. 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i thought i could handle the truth.  
> but i learn that i was not ready.  
> with this information alone  
> my life now has meaning.  
> but then there are others  
> who seek to take the meaning away.  
> therefore, because of the insight  
> 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"What do you want?" Heejin asked, leaning back on the bench with crossed arms and hard eyes. 

"It's not what I want, but something I think you should consider." Yubin clarified, voice sounding utterly serious.

After the confrontation at Kahei's apartment, Heejin had agreed to talk to Yubin, albeit not very willingly but more so because she did not want to cause a scene. So she agreed for them to talk in a cafe for a quick few minutes.

Heejin did not fully trust this woman, especially after years of them being apart. The last she had seen Yubin was several years ago when she was very young and would look up to her. But now, Heejin was not so sure. That led her to only meet with Yubin in a heavily populated area in the form of a park. Hopefully, this would prevent her from trying anything. 

"Then tell me. Because I don't have time for this."

"Trust me, this will be as quick as you want it to be." Yubin chuckled before continuing. "I just simply want to advise you. Before I do so, I want to let you know that I know about everything that has been going for months. We have been watching and know what you've been doing with your friends to stop us. So don't bother lying since I already know the truth."

"Wait, how would you-" Heejin's question was caught off once she realized what she was referring to. Yubin using "we" must be alluding to the cult. Heejin was not actually surprised that she would be associated with those people considering her radical views. Why Yubin was telling her this was beyond her.

"I'm not here to intimidate you or cause any conflict. I just want to inform you of something on behalf of my boss. We don't want to hurt you, truthfully. Since the beginning, our intentions were not to harm anyone as long as they don't stand in our way. Ever since I knew you and your hybrid friends were involved, I made it a point to not harm you in any way. I wanted you to change your mind and stop getting involved, which I thought would be easy. But, obviously, it is not."

"I'm not going to lie to you. At first, I was not taking this that seriously. Jinsoul was the one to bring up this situation and, me being friends with them, I assisted. It was not until I started to live with Hyunjin that I actually started to take this seriously. It opened my eyes to the fucked up shit you all were doing or planning to do, so now I'm more committed. And while I appreciate the sentiment, I don't care whether you tended to hurt me or not. At the end of the day, you still hurt my friends."

"And I never wanted to." Yubin continued, turning her body on the bench to face Heejin. "But you guys just couldn't let it go. My boss got sick of it, so she took action. Yerim would not have been kidnapped if she had not followed Minji. Kahei was only attacked because of Sooyoung's lack of heeding our warning, but that's an explanation for another time. If you stopped getting involved today, we would have no need to target you and your friends. But you refused to. I thought that it was Hyunjin that was pushing you to do so, so I warned her to stop. Clearly, she did not so-"

"Hold up. You talked to Hyunjin??" Heejin exclaimed, interrupted her monologue. She tensed up and felt defensive, now knowing that Hyunjin could have been in danger. "What the fuck did you say to her? You better not have hurt or I swear I will-"

"No! I did not hurt her, believe me. You can ask her yourself. I just warned her to stop interfering, hoping she would listen. I may have been a little forcefully, but it was what I had to do."

"You better not have..." Heejin gave a final warning, trying to calm herself down. She would have to ask Hyunjin of what happened, just to make sure. "Where is this leading to, anyway? Are you trying to recruit me or something because I'm not interested."

"I'm not here to recruit you. I just want to give one final attempt to convince you to stop. You have no way of intervening, so it's better for you to give up. In exactly a week as midnight strikes, all your efforts will be futile. Once that time comes, everything will be changed and the last stage of our plan will commence. We will avenge those wrongfully killed and take revenge on the culprits. Humans have lived for centuries without any punishment for what they have done and that ends in a week. We were meant to rule but ended becoming inferior to murderers. But, I'm sure Sana already told you all about that, right?"

"Yes, she did," Heejin confirmed. "But that does not mean you should take you anger out on modern humans when it happened centuries ago. Things have changed."

"It may have happened long ago, but its effects are still active even today. Humans still hate us, and no amount of human friends you obtain will change that. Even you have to hide who you are just so you don't get attacked on the streets. The SRPC is evidence of this discrimination, experimenting on hybrids like we're animals. And that is why we aimed to take them down, which we have succeeded in. Now it's time for the next step to put hybrids on top."

"You will never be able to accomplish that. You are just going to start another war, which is beyond stupid if you want more to die. Besides, Sooyoung told us that you need Chaewon, who you will never get no matter how much you try."

Yubin snickered, looking at Heejin patronizingly. She placed her hand on Heejin's cheek, caressing it gently.

"We don't have to try. She will come to us, no matter how much you resist. And you will too, you just don't know it yet."

Heejin shivered and yanked Yubin's hand away, looking at her with disgust. 

"We will stop you. Nothing you said here has convinced me otherwise."

"Fine, that's your choice," Yubin smirked as she stood from the bench. "I gave you one last chance, but you blew it. Now, we won't be as nice."

"I don't care what you decide to do! Plain fucking simple! You target my friends, I will end you regardless."

"Wow, such a hero." Yubin rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I guess I have to tell my boss the news, which she won't be happy with. But before I leave, I have *this* to give you. I advise you to read it once you go home to your darling girlfriend."

Yubin pulled a folded sheet of paper from her pocket and gave it to Heejin, who eyed it suspiciously.

"Don't worry. It won't hurt you. But it may give you an idea of our intentions so you know what to expect. See you."

Yubin promptly walked off, leaving Heejin alone on the bench. She watched her leave before departing, making sure she was not planning to follow her. Once she was far enough away and out of sight, Heejin departed from the bench while unfolding the paper to read it as she walked. She started to read a few lines of the long paragraph that was written. The more she read, the more nervous she became as she comprehended the paragraph's contents. By the time she reached the last sentence, Heejin had stopped in place as she became astounded and petrified. She read over it a few times just to make sure she had interpreted correctly. Unfortunately, she had.

And this was when she realized that this dilemma was way worse than they had ever thought.

***

"It's been an hour." Jungeun noted, looking at the clock on the side table. 

"Then it should be any minute." Sana stated, waiting as she watched Chaewon expectedly.

They had been sitting there on the bedroom floor for about forty minutes, making it at least an hour since the whole event started. Over that time, Chaewon found the pain more bearable, enough for her to even nap for a while. Hyejoo, who had been talking to Chaewon in order to comfort her, had fallen asleep next to her. Jungeun made sure to check on Chaewon's condition so it would not get worse, which luckily did not occur. Now they were ready for what was going to transpire at any second.

The group was startled by an unexpected knock at the door. Jinsoul and Jungeun looked at each other, confused about who could be at the door. They had not contacted anyone else about this situation nor were any of them expected anyone.

"I'll go check it out." Jinsoul stood up from the floor.

"Be careful. It might be a trick." Jungeun warned. Considering that the cult was after Chaewon, they had to be on high alert in case any of them would try to take her.

"I will," Jinsoul affirmed before heading towards the door. Making it to the door, she looked out the peephole to see if she could recognize who was on the other side. 

There were a man and woman standing there. They looked to be a lot older than Jinsoul, enough to even be her parents. They did not look intimidating, instead looking more innocent as they waited patiently at the door. Jinsoul stared for a while until she realized that these two people looked very similar to Chaewon and then she realized:

"Hey, babe? Were Chaewon's parents supposed to visit?" Jinsoul called out to her wife.

"Oh yeah!" Jungeun exclaimed in cognizance. "Remember Hyejoo mentioning that last week?"

It seemed like her premonition was correct. Jinsoul had completely forgotten, but with everything that has occurred after she told, who could blame her? This could not have been a worse time for Chaewon's parents to show up to her apartment. They did not know anything about what is happening to their daughter since it was not the right time to let them know due to the safety of everyone. But letting them in would obviously ruin that, especially when Chaewon was ready to transform at any minute. But they could not let her parents get worried.

After another knock at the door, Jinsoul gave in and decided to open it. She planned on letting them stay in the living room while the transformation finishes. Hopefully, it would only be a few minutes and then Chaewon can meet her parents as normal.

"Jungeun, I'm letting them in." Jinsoul decided. "Close the bedroom door so they don't see. When Chaewon finishes the transformation and can return back to her human form, we can let her see them."

"Got you!" Jungeun reached for the doorknob and closed the door.

Jinsoul took a deep breath and unlocked the door, opening it for the parents.

"Oh," Chaewon's mother stopped in her tracks when she saw someone besides her daughter at the door. "Hello! Are you Chaewon's girlfriend?"

"No ma'am. I'm just a friend." Jinsoul clarified, bowing respectfully and reaching out her hand. "I'm Jinsoul."

"Well, nice to meet you, honey!" Chaewon's father spoke up, shaking Jinsoul's hand. "I'm glad to see that Chaewon is making new friends."

"Please come in." Jinsoul moved out the way so that Chaewon's parents could enter.

"Thank you!" They both said as they entered the apartment. As Jinsoul shut the door, Chaewon's parents took their time looking around at the space, possibly for their daughter.

"Where's our daughter?" Mr. Park asked.

"She's.... changing her clothes." Jinsoul said slowly, trying to make up an excuse for Chaewon's absence. "She'll be out here in about five minutes. Please have a seat while you wait." 

Jinsoul led them towards the couch, allowing them to sit down and set down their bags.

"Would you a drink while you wait?" Jinsoul asked politely.

"No, we're fine. Thank you." Mrs. Park smiled, appreciating the gesture. 

Jinsoul nodded and sat on the other couch near the couch Chaewon's parents were sitting. They sat there silently, which made Jinsoul feel more awkward. She really hoped that Chaewon would be done soon because if she was not finished in five minutes or so, her parents would get suspicious. Just in case, Jinsoul had to keep them occupied so they would not start asking questions.

"How was the trip?" Jinsoul spoke up, trying to break the silence. "I hope you had no trouble getting here."

"Oh, it went very well! Little to no traffic." Mrs. Park replied. "Thank you for asking."

Jinsoul hummed as the topic of the conversation came to an abrupt end.

"So, how did you become friends with our daughter?" Mr. Park asked, starting a new topic. "Chaewon has never been the social type, so I'm very curious."

"Oh, um..." Jinsoul hurriedly pondered for an explanation. "I moved here a few months ago. I was already friends with Hyunjin, who then introduced me to Chaewon."

"Interesting." Mr. Park sounded intrigued. "I'm happy that Chaewon could make more friends."

"I'm even happier that she got a girlfriend!" Mrs. Park added. "I was always worried that Chaewon would be single forever due to her shyness, but now she does! She said that we will get to meet her girlfriend today, so I'm overjoyed to see her!"

"Oh, yes, Hyejoo." Jinsoul said, knowing who she was referring to. "She's here too. I'm also her friend and we moved here together with my wife as well."

Mr. and Mrs. Park looked at each other, eyes widened. They seemed to share the same thought as they turned back to Jinsoul with the same curious facial expression.

"You are friends with Hyejoo?" Mrs. Park asked.

"Yes, I am... Why?" Jinsoul replied, confused by their inquisitiveness. 

"Oh, don't worry about it, sweetheart! Just asking for clarification."

"Oh okay..."

"Chaewon is certainly taking her sweet time." Mr. Park remarked, looking at the watch on his wrist. "I wonder what's taking her so-"

Cutting the father off was a loud scream coming from the bedroom. It was followed by some shuffling and a few people shouting, seemingly frantic. Jinsoul could have sworn that she heard Jungeun shout "calm down!" a few times, while every other voice was muffled. Meanwhile, Chaewon's parents stared at the bedroom door in horror, hearing the shriek clearly.

"Who was that? Is that our daughter? Is she alright?" Mrs. Park asked in concerned, sounding scared for the worst. 

"Uh, I think so-"

*"Ah!! I feel like I'm going to die!!"*

*"It will be over in a minute!! Just calm down and stay still!!"*

Jinsoul wanted to shrivel away after she knew Chaewon's parents heard that. Of course, out of all the phrases that had to be comprehensible, the series of phrases that were unexplainable had to be it. Jinsoul watched as Mrs. Park's face looked terrified when recognizing the first voice, while Mr. Park looked more concerned.

"Um, wait here, please. I'll be right back." Jinsoul stood up and headed to the bedroom, not leaving any chance for them to ask questions. She opened the door and slipped inside, not allowing Chaewon's parents to see anything, and then shutting the door. "Guys, could you please be-"

Whatever Jinsoul was about to say immediately left her mind as she saw what was in front of her. There was Chaewon - no longer laying on the bed but levitating in the air. There was golden light surrounded her, twinkling and almost blinding. She was no longer wearing pajamas, but this long, plain, and off-white dress with sleeves that reached her wrists. Just as it was predicted, Chaewon now had accosted dragon appendages. She had large, pure white dragon wings with a gold color at its tips. She also had two horns on the top of her head that curled, with the color being as white as the wings. Also on her head was a silver tiara, placed in between the horns. When Chaewon opened her eyes, they were glowing gold. Surrounding her eyes were very intricate designs that seemed to match the tattoo on her arm. From where Jinsoul was standing, she could see small fangs protruding from her gaped cherry red lips. Chaewon looked ethereal and like a deity in her half-dragon form, leaving them all stunned.

Eventually, Chaewon had stopped levitating and her feet finally touched the floor, standing in front of her girlfriend. Hyejoo could not keep her eyes off of her lover, mouth opened partly and eyes wandering up and down her body. It was clear to anyone that out of everyone here, Hyejoo was the most awestruck.

"Um, do I look okay?" Chaewon asked timidly, embarrassed by all of the eyes fixed on her.

"You look more than "okay"... You look like a fucking goddess!" Hyejoo exclaimed, holding both of Chaewon's hands and intertwining their fingers. "You're also beautiful, but now you look so heavenly. I knew you were going to look gorgeous like this..."

Chaewon, not expecting the response, was left speechless and her cheeks burned red. She smiled uncontrollably, eyes squinting and tiny giggles. Hyejoo grinned at this reaction and chuckled alongside her. She would have kissed Chaewon by now if they were not surrounded by others, so she decided to save them for later.

"Wow, Chaewon!" Jungeun exclaimed, walking up to the couple. "You look amazing! You're just like a princess!"

"Makes sense since lumena were seen as gods and goddesses." Sana explained. "But, even so, I've never seen anything like this... It's impressive!"

"You look gorgeous, Chaewon." Jinsoul complimented, allowing for the blissful moment before becoming serious: "As much as I know we would love to enjoy this achievement, Chaewon's parents are still in the living room and waiting! Also, they heard you all shouting so we probably have to come up with an-"

The women heard the sound of the doorknob turning, making them quickly jerk their heads in that direction. Soon after, the door was opened and their stood Chaewon's parents, looking worried.

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Park said as she opened the door. "Are you alright in h...?"

Mr. and Mrs. Park stood there flabbergasted when they saw their daughter. Chaewon did not know what to do, so she stood there completely frozen. She tried to read their faces, but they were incomprehensible. They ranged from amazement, to utterly shocked, to somewhat fearful. It took over a minute for anyone to say anything, with Sana making the first move. 

"Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Park." Sana addressed respectfully, walking up to them. "I know this might seem like a shock to you and that you may have questions. They will be explained over time, but to summarize, your daughter is a hybrid. She is not a typical one, but an ancient type that is extremely rare."

Chaewon's parents looked at one another and then back at Sana, faces still looking unreadable.

"Why she is like this, we are not sure." Jinsoul added. "I assume you two are human, which doesn't make sense since hybrids are only birthed from two parents where at least one of them is a hybrid. Once we find out, we'll be sure to tell you but for now we-"

"We already know."

Everyone looked at Chaewon's parents, stupefied. They did not how to respond to that. Again, there was a minute of silence and awkward stares before Mrs. Park spoke up once more.

"We have known soon after Chaewon was born that she would be this way." Mrs. Park clarified, eyes glancing at her daughter. "We knew as Chaewon would become an adult that she would learn more about it and we let it happen, as we were told not to speak of it beforehand. We also knew that Chaewon would have a soulmate, so after we heard about Hyejoo, we knew that you going to find out the truth. That is why we insisted to come here because we want to explain." 

Everyone else, still aghast, decided unanimously that they were going to let them give their explanation. So, they moved to the living room where there was more space. Mr. and Mrs. Park sat on the same couch as last time while Chaewon and Hyejoo sat on the couch that Jinsoul sat in initially. Jinsoul and Jungeun stood nearby while Sana sat down in the remaining seat. 

"So, I should start." Mr. Park decided, before clearing his throat to begin. "First off, just to clarify, we are not hybrids. Initially, you were going to be human but suddenly there were other plans for you. But, one fact you did not know about us was that we didn't always live on Earth. After we got married, we moved to Alirtura, which is the fauna hybrid's dimension. Your mother always desired to live there, despite the slight tension between hybrids and humans at the time."

"Ah, yeah, I remember my parents talking about that." Jungeun interjected. "We used to be pretty hostile towards humans, which led to many humans getting unjustly mistreated. But, it's a lot better now."

"Which we are very grateful for." Mr. Park said before continuing. "We knew of the dangers of living there at the time, but we somewhat ignored it since we thought the tension would resolve over time. We instead made friends with some of the locals, including all types. But the two women who caught our eyes the most were a couple that had lived for hundreds of years. They lived with a fauna hybrid and never left the home since they were hunted. One of them was a flame hybrid and another was a lumena. Their names were Haeun and Mi-Sun."

"Wait, you met them?" Hyejoo asked, surprised. "You met my mother?"

"Yes, we did." Mrs. Park continued the story. "They were the nicest and most in-love couple I have ever met. They truly were meant to be together, almost like they were soulmates. But they had to keep in hiding since there were hunters searching for Haeun due to her being a lumena. In addition, their love was seen as a sin and there were people who were determined to break them up. For a while, there was no threat. We eventually got comfortable and decided we would start a family. That is where you came into the picture."

Mrs. Park turned towards her daughter, who was staring in intrigue. 

"You were born in Alirtura, actually. At first, you were just a young human girl with no ties to any magical abilities. Even though it was risky, we thought it would be okay to raise you there. We thought that you wouldn't get hurt as society became more tolerant of humans. And, technically, we were right as most of the people who met you seemed very fond of you. But then...a horrendous event occurred and changed everything."

"One day, soon after you were born, there was an attack." Mr. Park further explained. "Most of the culprits were hunters, but there were other hybrids as well. Why they started the attack is unclear, but what was clear was that one of their targets was Haeun. At that time, your mother and I were living in a house with Haeun, Mi-Sun, and a few other hybrids. That day, we locked ourselves in that house in hopes that they would not be able to get us. But...that tragically did not happen...."

Chaewon watched her mother's eyes begin to well up with tears, becoming emotional, and struggling to finish the story. Her father sighed, taking a moment before continuing the story for her.

"Someone that we trusted for a long time had ratted us out to the hunters. There was a large group of them barging into the house, ready to hurt anyone in their way to get Haeun. We had hidden you in a closet in our bedroom, praying that they would not find you. In the struggle, the hunters had set the house on fire, unbeknownst to us. It was not until the house was almost ablaze that we realized it. We tried to reach you sooner but....they were holding us back and the house was falling apart... We only were able to reach you once the other hybrids had killed them. But...that came with a price. In the struggle, Haeun had been hurt badly and was close to death. And then, when we finally were able to save, the fire had already reached you and...."

"When I got to you, you were barely breathing." Mrs. Park continuing, sniffling in between. "The closet was already burnt down and you were laying there in the wreckage, barely moving. You were clinging onto life. We thought we had lost you.....and we almost did..."

"But, then there was a chance to not only keep you alive but Haeun as well. Lumenas, even after they die, still have a soul that would still be active. That soul would linger around until they either found a host, get sent to a higher place if the body is put to rest, or - if someone gets their hands on some forbidden spells - could be banished to the underworld. The first option was possible in this case, but that would mean they would need a body to become its host. If the body is dead, then they would the soul would fully inhabit it since the body's original soul would already be gone. But, if the body was still alive, then the soul would mesh with the body's original soul. Even if that body was dying but still had life left in them, the lumena soul would fully revive them. So, that is where you come in...."

"After we were offered this, we knew we had to try. You would still be our Chaewon, however with Haeun's soul still within you. We knew that later you would go through all this, but we didn't want to lose you. We love you so much and were willing to do anything. In addition, Haeun was also the last lumena to be alive and she needed to be kept alive otherwise her kind would fully go extinct. So, it felt like a win-win situation. But we were warned that you might be targeted in the future if those hunters find out about what happened to you. We still decided to try nonetheless..."

"So, Haeun is.... inside me?" Chaewon asked, looking at her arms and legs while feeling foreign in her own skin. 

"Yes, her soul is at least." Mr. Park confirmed. "It's hard to explain. You're still human in some ways, but your lumena side comes from Haeun. Haeun's soul is still revivable with the right kind of spells, but it is extremely dangerous as you could die as a result. You are being kept alive by her soul, so you losing it would be fatal. You did gain some of her traits and thoughts, which you continue to gain as your transformation commences."

"So, then what about my mother?" Hyejoo asked worriedly. "What happened to her? I know she was murdered when I was young, but..."

"Your mother was devastated after this." Mrs. Park replied. "But, she knew that it had to be done to save her girlfriend. But, there was another issue that would be brought up as you grew older. The reason why Haeun and Mi-Sun were able to live for centuries was because they were soulmates. Mi-Sun was supposed to be her protector until the end, which almost occurred if it wasn't for the soul transfer. Since Haeun was technically still alive within Chaewon, Mi-Sun was still left alive. However, she knew that Chaewon would need a protector as she grows up. Her being too old and hunters possibly coming after her, Mi-Sun knew she had to get Chaewon some sort of protector, or specifically a soulmate. That is why you were born, Hyejoo. With the bond being passed down to Chaewon, Mi-Sun's bond could be passed down as well to another generation. So, she decided to find a guy so she could have you. She and your father never got along since Mi-Sun never harbored any feelings towards him. She was simply doing it for you both."

"So, that's who killed my mother..." Hyejoo sighed, eyes fixed on her lap. It explained why her mother was murdered all of a sudden. It also explained why her father and mother also fought and why he hated her so much. In addition, she now knew why she and Chaewon were soulmates. Hyejoo was born to protect Chaewon, which explained her possessiveness over her. All of this knowledge was too much for her to handle all at once.

"I remember that day where those hunters came." Jungeun interrupted, suddenly remembering. "I was really young but my mother told me about it. We were almost targeted but luckily most did not get harmed. My great-grandmother, however, was out of the house at the time and was staying with a few friends. Now that I remember, I did overhear her telling my mother about that friend's house being burnt down...."

"Then she probably was with us." Mr. Park theorized. "There were several hybrids there at the time."

"But, how did you do that?" Jinsoul asked, very intrigued. "Because I assume soul transferring isn't simple."

"It was not. We had to get to this cave where the transfer had to take place. We could not see this since we were humans, but there was said to be this large sun symbol in the middle that had the power to do so. There were six rays and each one represented the six main types of hybrids. If a hybrid type touched their respective ray, then it would start to activate. Once all of the rays were activated, then soul transfer can occur."

"Wait, is that the same cave we came across a while ago?" Jinsoul asked.

"Yes, that is the same one," Sana confirmed. "That is why I said it was dangerous and to never do that again. When Chaewon was standing in the center and the four of the rays had been activated, you were tampering with her lumena soul. If all of them had been activated then there was a high chance the soul would have been released and Chaewon likely would have died."

"Thank goodness we didn't do that..." Hyejoo commented with a relieved sigh. 

"So then, is that what the cult wants?" Chaewon spoke up. "Do they want Haeun? So they could kill her?"

"There's a cult?" Mrs. Park questioned, surprised, and not sure what she was talking about. "Here?"

"Yes, for the past year now." Jinsoul explained. "That is why I, Jungeun, Hyejoo, and another friend named Heejin all came to Earth. We knew they had an ulterior motive but was unsure. It seems like they have a vendetta against humans, which is what lead to the attacks and the SRPC getting raided. But, they also seek to kidnap Chaewon once she finished her transformation. We don't allow her to leave the house as a result. We have no clue why they need Chaewon for their revenge, but we know it is not with pure intentions."

"I wish we could provide an answer to that." Mrs. Park apologized. "We have no clue. Back then, the hunters wanted to kill all lumenas, which made Haeun a target because she one the last one that we knew of. But if hybrids want her, then that would make no sense. Unless they want to somehow revive all lumenas, but that seems like a troublesome task."

"Maybe, but hopefully the two remaining visions will help us out."

"Actually, there is one more thing we came here to do..." 

Mrs. Park reached into her purse and rummaged in it for a few seconds before pulling a Ziploc back from it. Inside was a small cloth, folded neatly. She handed it to her daughter, who took it with a confused expression.

"What is this?" Chaewon asked, eyeing it with puzzlement.

"It is something they said to give you once you grow older." Mrs. Park elucidated. "Mi-Sun said it would give a further explanation for what happened. I guess one of those visions must come from this..."

Jinsoul grabbed the bad out of Chaewon's hands. She then took the cloth out of the bag and unfolded it. The cloth was small and torn at some edges, possibly meaning it was once part of something bigger. It was bright green with black at its edges, probably due to being burnt in the past.

"We should probably leave the fourth vision for tomorrow." Jinsoul decided, putting the cloth back in the bag. "Chaewon has been through enough today and these visions are draining."

"That's a good idea." Sana agreed. 

"In the meantime, maybe we should figure out how to turn Chaewon back into her human form."

"Let's wait for a while." Hyejoo said, holding Chaewon's hand and looked her fondly. When Chaewon met eyes with her, she blushed bright red and looked away in embarrassment. 

"Looks like Hyejoo has a kink for Chaewon's half-dragon form..." Jungeun sang, teasing them and sticking her tongue out playfully. 

"Hyejoo has a kink for Chaewon in general." Jinsoul rolled her eyes. 

"Guys, stop..." Chaewon, blushing out of embarrassment, shyly moved her face into the crook of Hyejoo's neck. "Not in front of my parents..."

"I'm glad to see you and Hyejoo getting along so well." Mrs. Park continued with the teasing, chuckling. "You seem like a sweet couple. I wouldn't be surprised if Hyejoo proposed to you soon."

"Mom..." Chaewon whined, further hiding her face in Hyejoo's neck. "We just met less than four months ago..."

"I dated your mother for six months before proposing." Mr. Park affirmed, chuckling as well. "You still have a chance."

"Hmm, maybe I should...." Hyejoo snickered. "I already treat her like my wife anyway."

As everyone else was laughing, Chaewon continued to whine at the first-hand embarrassment.

"I hate all of you..."

***

"Jiwoo, can you hand me that box?" Gahyeon asked, setting a box on the table and opening it.

"Uh, sure!" Jiwoo picked up the box that laid on the floor near her feet and walked a few feet to the same table as Gahyeon. She struggled a bit but lifted the box onto the table. 

"Thanks for your help, love." Gahyeon said, smiling and taking a few packets out of the first box. "This would have forever without you."

"No problem! Anything to help out a friend!" Jiwoo smiled back. "So, is that all?"

"For the most part, yes. We just need to start unpacking them. I'll ask the others to deal with the other boxes."

"Great!" Jiwoo spoke up excitedly before getting slightly worried: "Are you sure raising the SRPC building was a good thing? I mean, I'm glad that we saved all those hybrids and took the experiments before anyone else would get hurt. But, that could cause a lot of controversy and people could come after you... Plus, my father sounded really pissed off."

Before coming here to unpack, Jiwoo had come to her parents' house so Gahyeon could drive them there. Jiwoo had overheard her father arguing loudly over the phone, yelling at the SRPC's CEO about what occurred. Even though she had heard her father get angry and start yelling before, she had never heard him yell for such a long period of time. In addition to that, Jiwoo also heard about him getting the police involved and "not resting until they put the criminals to death", which scared her heavily. 

Originally, Jiwoo had agreed that they should raid that place after being heartbroken by the events she witnessed. However, after she had the impression that they would take a few things to bring to report to the police. She never expected them to take everything. Jiwoo expressed her concerns to Gahyeon, who reassured her that this was a good thing. She said that the police force was already corrupt and would most likely shrug it off. Gahyeon said it was their only option, but Jiwoo still had worries.

"He'll get over it." Gahyeon replied nonchalantly, not showing much care for Jiwoo's concerns. "Trust me, this will die down in a week. Besides, we saved hundreds of hybrids from suffering in the hands of those people. We didn't do anything wrong, right? Is it wrong to save people?"

"No, but..."

"Trust me, Jiwoo. We are the good guys, they are the bad guys. You have nothing to worry about, darling." 

"Okay, I trust you...."

"Great! Now," Gahyeon placed a delicate hand on Jiwoo's cheek and caressed it affectionately. "How about you finish helping me?..."

"Uh, sure but, Gahyeon?" Jiwoo questioned, feeling uncomfortable. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing you should be worried about." Gahyeon chuckled, gradually bringing her face closer to Jiwoo's. "We're close, aren't we?"

"Yes, but," Jiwoo pushed Gahyeon away from her, becoming more uneasy. "That doesn't mean you can start flirting with me. I have a girlfriend, remember?"

"Wait, you're still serious about that?" Gahyeon laughed in amusement. "Why?"

"Yeah, I mean, I don't know why but..."

"Jiwoo, you loveable idiot. Sooyoung literally is a murderer who could possibly go after you too and you still want her as your girlfriend?"

"Yeah, I guess?" Jiwoo shrugged. "I mean, maybe there's an explanation for that. She was in a cult and said that they were very manipulative. Maybe there is more to it that we don't know. Maybe I should ask her before I assume anything...."

"Jiwoo, you can't be serious. She almost killed one of your friends and you think that she was just "manipulated"? She killed dozens and you think that is redeemable??"

"I think that maybe..."

"I'm trying to help you!" Gahyeon confronted Jiwoo as she close to her face with a sharply pointed finger. "You were already hurt by your last girlfriend!! You were heartbroken for weeks after she cheated on you! Now, I'm trying to help you not only stop yourself from getting hurt emotionally but also physically! You could get killed so easily by her and that's why I gave you that warning! I care about you too much to let you get hurt!"

"I-I..." Jiwoo tried to stammer out a response. She understood her friend's worry and felt like a horrible person as a result. She remembered a few years ago when her first girlfriend had cheated on her. It fucked her up so badly and she was depressed for up to a month afterward. Besides Chaewon, Gahyeon was one of the people that helped her get through the heartbroken. She was truly a help throughout her entire life, guiding her out of her low points. And now, Gahyeon was warning her for experiencing much worse than her last relationship, which Jiwoo appreciated immensely. So, maybe she should follow her advice and break up with her. 

But for some reason, it felt so hard to do. Jiwoo felt like it was the wrong thing to do and that she had to learn more before making an assumption. Sooyoung seemed really regretful over her past, so much so that Jiwoo did not feel scared of her. But, who's to say that she was telling the truth? 

Overall, Jiwoo was lost on what to think.

"Look, I'm just not ready to make that kind of decision right now." Jiwoo confessed, gently trying to push Gahyeon back by her shoulders. "Let me think about it for a while and I'll decide. I just don't want to make a mistake." 

"Fine." Gahyeon mumbled, sounded slightly anger but trying to suppress it. "Just don't take too long. That's all I'm going to say."

Gahyeon returned back to the boxes and continued to unpack them silently. Jiwoo awkwardly decided to join her, opening the other box on the table. 

"I'm sorry, Gahyeon. I know you're angry but-"

"I'm not angry, doll." Gahyeon interjected, sounding monotone. "I just don't want you making the wrong decisions. You don't know who would love to get their hands on an innocent rich girl like you. You are such an easy target, just like Yerim or Kahei, and could be manipulated into doing their bidding. I just want to help you. I am the only person you can trust - remember that."

Jiwoo kept her mouth shut after that and they continued to unpack everything in silence. 

Who could she trust at this point?

She had no clue.

***

Hyunjin was in the middle of reading when Heejin had barged into the apartment, panting profusely. By how disheveled Heejin looked, it seemed like she had ran all the way home. Hyunjin quickly went by her side, concerned.

"Are you alright?" Hyunjin asked, putting a supportive arm around Heejin's waist while she collecting herself.

"No..." Heejin spoke after her panting slowly regressed. "We're in big trouble..."

"Why?..."

Heejin took a folded sheet of paper out of her pocket and gave it to Hyunjin. She quickly unfolded it, confused when she saw a long paragraph.

"What is this?"

"A letter..." Heejin replied. "I met Yubin today and she told me a few things, including that she confronted you a while back. And then she gave me this.... You have to read it."

Hyunjin wanted to ask more about what Yubin said, as she was concerned that Heejin had seen her, especially after she established Yubin as possibly dangerous. However, Heejin was adamant about Hyunjin reading the letter, so she decided to do that first.

"Dear Chaewon's friends...." Hyunjin began to read aloud. "This is a letter from the cult boss to whoever gets to reads the following message. We have been following you all for the past few months and watched your progression. I must say that I am impressed by such amelioration and would like to personally congratulate you. However, you must know that we must now take immense action as a result. In a week, you will experience an event that will compare to no other. It will even be more momentous than the war. For Hyunjin, who I know would be so eager to know, it will be called "The Red Sun". It is a ceremony where all of the lost souls of the lumena will be brought back from the underworld. Once and for all, hybrids will become the true rulers of our worlds and humans will experience a punishment that will teach them a lesson. Don't worry, no hybrids will be harmed in this process. However, I can't say the same about you and your human friends. I recommend you give up any plans you have to stop us as the more you agitate us, the more the souls will be less forgiving. You have been warned."

Hyunjin was at loss for words about what she had just read. There were so many questions and fears she had swarming in her head at this very moment.

"You didn't read the last line..." Heejin murmured, sounding distraught.

Hyunjin looked back at the letter and saw two more sentences at the bottom of the page. She read over to herself first and then paused. At first, Hyunjin thought she had read it wrong. But then, reading it again out loud, she found that it was true.

"P.S. In case you don't believe the magnitude of what we are capable of, I'm letting you know that your friend Haseul is with us as well. She is already facing punishment for her crimes, so if you were going to try anything more, maybe you should reconsider before you might lose two friends instead of one...."

Hyunjin, without saying a word, set the paper down on the table. Her face looked emotionless and distant, her eyes fixed on the wall behind Heejin.

"Hyunjin?..." Heejin whispered quietly, trying to snap Hyunjin out of it. "What's wrong?..."

Hyunjin's eyes gradually shifted to Heejin's face, still without any emotion. She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again to let out a few monotoned words:

"I fucked up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 22! A lot to take in this chapter, so I will do a recap of the important parts. We finally got an explanation of a lot of unanswered questions such as why Chaewon is special, the soulmate bond between her and Hyejoo, Haeun's connection with Chaewon, and so much more. We also got the fourth item for the vision, but that will be saved for next chapter! I feel like you guys went through enough of an information dump! We also have this frightening letter from the cult leader - which we know is Gahyeon but of course they don't that - that basically is forcing then to back down.There's also a little cliffhanger at the end that we'll be explained next chapter as well. Jiwoo is also having a lot of trust issues, which will further effect her actions in the final chapters. No spoilers about that though! ;) Next chapter will include a lot as more information will be brought to light so get ready!
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	23. 𝒊 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i never expected you to break down in front of me.  
> you were scared to show me who you were.  
> you hid your experiences from me,   
> but i understand.  
> we are more alike than you realize  
> and so, i not only sympathize with you   
> i also,  
> 𝒊 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"I fucked up."

Heejin stared at Hyunjin, a perplexed gaze in her eyes. 

"What?..."

"I fucked up," Hyunjin mumbled, looking Heejin dead in the eyes. "This is all my fault."

"What are you talking about??" Heejin tensed. "None of this your fault. It was the cult who-"

"It is!" Hyunjin exclaimed emotionally, interjecting her. "Before you guys were even in the picture, I was warned about this. I was on to these people for a while, about a year after Haseul had left, and dedicated my time to solve it. Before Yubin, there was someone else who confronted me about it. At the time, it was only me who was devoted to solving this, so even when they threatened me, it would not affect anyone else. But then you guys came in and then I got another warning, but from Yubin this time. I thought that maybe she was bluffing and that the threat carried no weight. But, after Yerim, I was worried that what if I was the reason? And now Haseul is gone.... I should've just listened..."

"So, what? Are you saying you should have just given up?" Heejin asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes, I guess I am. I mean, if I knew that this would happen then I would've never gotten so involved... Maybe I was in way over my head..."

"How could you even say that?!" Heejin shouted, starting to boil with anger. "You are the sole reason why we've gotten this far! You have worked so fucking hard, staying up all night and skipping meals just to figure this all out! You helped us all out, even though we are probably the most annoying people you've ever met! But now, you're regretting all of that because of this letter??"

"It's not just about the letter..."

"Then what is it, Hyunjin?" Heejin crossed her arms. "If not this letter, then what? So what, you've gotten threats before? So have we! We still have a chance to save them while simultaneously impeding on the cult's plans, so why give up now?"

"I...just don't want any other of our friends getting kidnapped..." Hyunjin sighed, avoiding eye contact. "It's all my fault that they were taken so I think it's best that we just-"

Heejin did not wait for Hyunjin to finish talking and immediately stormed away. Hyunjin internally questioned what she was doing until she realized that Heejin was heading towards the door and was about to open it. 

"Hey!" Hyunjin slammed the door shut as Heejin began opening it, following by her standing in front of it so she would not try to leave. She then glared at the hybrid, flummoxed by the sudden actions. 

"Move out the way!" Heejin demanded, attempting to move Hyunjin away from the door. 

"Where are you going??"

"I'm done with this shit!" Heejin yelled. "I'm done with that cult trying to fuck with you and every one of friends! If they want to mess with you all, then I'm not about to sit back on my ass and let that happen! So, I'm going over their hideout and handle it myself!"

"No, you're not!" Hyunjin opposed, holding a tight grasp on Heejin's shoulders to keep her back. "What has gotten into you? You know we can't just go there! You're going to get yourself killed and then what??"

"I'm not just going to let two of friends, and then possibly Chaewon, get hurt by the likes of them!! If I have to risk my life for that, then so be it!"

"You're not going anywhere."

"Yes, I am!" 

"No, you're not!" Hyunjin shouted out, her grip on Heejin's shoulders becoming more firm. "I'm not going to let you put yourself in danger! You are weak compared to them! Fighting them will only make the situation worse than it already is!"

"Then what do you want me to do, Hyunjin?! Give up like you want to do??" 

"I don't want you to give up..."

"Then what's wrong? Why won't you let me-"

"Because I don't want to lose you, goddammit!" 

Heejin was left dazed by Hyunjin's outburst. What made her stop retorting was how fervent Hyunjin sounded, with her eyes became watery and the grip on her shoulders was now so tight that it was starting to strain.

"I just can't lose you, okay?!" Hyunjin admitted, voice cracking. "I've already lost people I loved a long time ago and I don't want anyone else to get hurt! Even though you annoy me all the fucking time, I don't want you to get killed! There's a reason why I care for everyone I become close with, and it's because I want to keep them safe! It's always my mistakes that get them hurt - every since fucking time!! And now, Yerim and Haseul are both kidnapped because of me! They could be killed, and it will be all on me! I have a chance of saving you - a person that I didn't realize I would actually love until now! I haven't loved anyone for a long time, because every person I ever loved is gone! I already lost my parents, I don't need to lose you either!!"

Heejin stood still as her eyebrows raised in shock and mouth dropped open in shock. She had never heard Hyunjin say something so profound in the one year she had known her. But there was Hyunjin - face grief-stricken and a flood of tears gushing down her cheeks. Heejin did not know how to react to such a display of intense sorrow. She had never witnessed anyone around her break down like this, especially not someone she was dating. She was not very apathetic as a result. 

However, eventually, Heejin's body reacted to her. Without much thought, she brought Hyunjin in a tight embrace, hugging her for dear life. Heejin did not know how to comfort her at this moment, so instead offered herself for her girlfriend to let out her grief with. After half a minute, Hyunjin hugged her back the same, hands pulling on the fabric of her shirt. Heejin could not see her expression, but she could hear the wailing against her ear and felt hot tears stain her neck. 

No one exchanged words for the next five minutes, just letting each other get lost in the embrace. The sobbing eventually ceased and tears would hit Heejin's neck at a slower rate. Heejin decided to pull back from the hug and hold Hyunjin's face in her cupped hands, wiping away every tear that would trickle from her red eyes. Hyunjin breathed heavily with a quivering lip, eyes focusing on the living room behind Heejin instead of at her.

"Hyunjin..." Heejin spoke in a soft whisper. "You know, it's not your fault... Nothing is your fault."

"But, it is..."

"No, it's not," Heejin said sternly while trying to remain sympathetic. "Even if it was, it's as much as my fault as it is yours. You didn't ask for them to get hurt. It happened because of people whose actions are beyond your control. You are only one person and you can't expect so much of yourself. Maybe there could've been things we could've done differently, but there was no way of seeing the future. Now is not the time to regret actions that can never be undone. We have to get our shit together and work even harder to avoid anything like this occurring ever again."

"But what if we can't do anything?" Hyunjin stammered with a sore voice. "What if we can't avoid this?"

"I'm not going to lie and say that everything will get better. It may not and it could get worse from here. But, at least we know what we're up against. All we can do now is try and keep trying until the end. If we give up, then there is no way of succeeding. But if we at least try, then there is a small chance. We're only a bunch of women in our twenties who have no real grasp of the world, so we can't expect ourselves to win at our first try. But, maybe with multiple attempts, someone will have the effect we're looking for. You're not going to do this alone, either. Do you know how many people are helping us out right now?"

"You...Jinsoul...Jungeun...Hyejoo...Chaewon... Sooyoung..."

"Sana, your grandfather, Jungeun's great-grandmother, that pegasus. Remembered that Yerim got kidnapped trying to help us too? Even non-human objects such as those items given Chaewon those visions and those books you keep reading. There are a lot of people assisting us. I think if we weren't meant to succeed, there wouldn't be this much help. It may seem hopeless but at least you made it this far."

"But, I don't want anyone getting hurt or...worse."

"I know that. I don't want anyone getting her either, obviously. Otherwise, I would've never reacted like that. If Jinsoul, Jungeun, or Hyejoo got harmed in any way, I would go crazy. As a matter of fact, if anyone of my friends were harmed I would. Even Yerim, as annoying as she is, I would. But if you were to get hurt, I wouldn't be able to control myself honestly. When Yubin told me she threatened you, as ready to bash her head into the sidewalk. I don't why I get so fucking angry, but I do. Maybe it's a relationship thing, who fucking knows. But what I do know is that we both think the same. But where we differ is that I'm not going to give up because of my fear. I'm going to work harder because of it. This isn't about us. This is about the millions of people's lives that will be forever changed because of something we have the potential to prevent. I'm not going to let my feelings stop me and you shouldn't either. Also..."

Heejin paused for a moment, trying to phrase her words properly. Noticing this, Hyunjin finally looked her in the eyes expectantly. 

"I understand how it feels to lose someone because of your actions. Trust me, I do. But, you're not going to lose me. I can handle myself and defend myself when necessary. If anything, I should worry about you. And I do but I just have a terrible way of showing it. I'm not a very profound person and I often hide my feelings. It's a habit I try to break. But, I do care even if I don't say it often. I.... I appreciate you caring about me too... So, thank you."

As Heejin finished, she tried to study Hyunjin's face for any reactions. Hyunjin's eyes drifted in thought, looking to the side. When she finally looked back at Heejin, she mouthed a few words. 

"What?" Heejin asked, not being to read her lips.

"I said: Thank you...." Hyunjin spoke up, smiling softly. "I never expected you to ever say something like that..."

"Yeah, I'm not used to that," Heejin admitted with a chuckle. "This is something Jungeun would be good at or even Haseul. But hey, first time for everything."

"Well, you should do that more often."

"Maybe, depends on whether you decide to give up again."

"I won't," Hyunjin affirmed, chuckling as well. "You're right. I guess I just let my fears get the better of me."

"Yeah, but I get that. I just don't try to show it. But, we still have a job to do."

"Yeah- wait. Are you sure you're Heejin?"

"I think so. Honestly, I don't anymore. I think you're turning me into you." 

They both burst out into breathless laughs, the mood finally lightening up. Heejin found the bright smile on Hyunjin's face so endearing that she could not help but grin as well. 

"But seriously, you better not say you're giving up ever again." Heejin instructed, try to speak with solemnity. "Otherwise, I won't be as nice."

"I won't, promise." Hyunjin said earnestly. 

"Good. Now for the rest of the day, we'll rest and collect our thoughts. Tomorrow, we'll talk to the others and figure out what to do next."

"I'm okay with that." 

Heejin smiled and pulled her hands away from Hyunjin's face, giving her some space. Usually, she would have probably kissed Hyunjin at this moment, but it felt strange for her to do so. So, Heejin decided to just let her calm down.

"Hey, so.." Hyunjin began. "Do you remember the commitment we made months ago?"

"What commitment?.." Heejin asked, puzzled.

"About us. We said that we were confused about what we felt towards each other so we would date and figure it out on our own. We didn't understand love or anything like that, so we wanted to learn."

"Oh yeah, I remember..."

"So, now that it's been a while since then... Do you think that we..."

"Yes." Heejin bluntly said, understand what Hyunjin was implying. "I do. We may not be as disgustingly cute like Chaewon and Hyejoo, or maturely ideal as Jinsoul and Jungeun, but I'd rather us not be like that. I'd rather us playfully argue daily than becoming annoyingly wholesome any day. That what makes it fun, so yeah. I like you. Maybe I even love you, but I can't be sure yet. I think we need a few more months until I know. But for now, I'm happy with our relationship."

"Me too." Hyunjin nodded, agreeing with every she said. "I like this. Let's keep it that way."

Hyunjin slid her hands into Heejin's, holding it tenderly. Confused, Heejin looked at Hyunjin with a tilted head. She then noticed with a genuine expression that Hyunjin wore and immediately became shifted her gaze downwards. Heejin did not know why seeing a loving look in Hyunjin's eyes made her feel embarrassed, but it seemed to have such an effect on her that it made her jerk away.

"Hey!" Heejin exclaimed, putting on a defensive stance after she pulled her hands away. "I didn't tell you that just so you can be all sappy afterward."

"Aw, embarrassed, aren't you?" Hyunjin teased, smirking at the redness in Heejin's cheeks.

"No! I just don't like it when you do that..."

"Sure you don't." Hyunjin rolled her eyes. "Then what would you rather have me do?"

"Hmm..." Heejin pondered before snickering: "Probably for you to drag me to bed, press me into it, and make out with me. Then undress and fuck me all night. And then probably have some morning sex. Maybe I could eat you out for the first time-"

"Hey, hey!" Hyunjin stammered, letting out an awkward chuckle. "Could you not say that out loud?"

"What? It's just us." Heejin teased, acting surprised. "You're not embarrassed, are you?"

"No, but-"

"Thought so." Heejin put her pointer finger on Hyunjin's neck, running along with it upwards to the tip of her chin. She then brought her thumb to Hyunjin's bottom lip, brushing along it while not breaking eye contact. Heejin then brought her lips up to her ear and whispered in a low and seductive voice: "Don't try to tease me unless you can handle the consequences..."

Heejin pulled back to analyze Hyunjin's gobsmacked expression. Satisfied with the reaction, Heejin walked away to the bedroom with a smirk and leaving Hyunjin speechless. When she finally processed what Heejin had done, Hyunjin broke out of her dumbfounded look. For some reason, she ended going from being voiceless to chuckling to herself. 

They were odd together but in a somewhat enjoyable way. Heejin had certainly changed over their together, but at the end of the day, she was still the devilish and skittish person that Hyunjin had known since day one. But, she was more than fine with that.

Hyunjin never would have expected Heejin to be the one to console and motivate her, especially when it was usually the other way around. There was a lot on her mind and a vast number of dangers possibly creeping up on them, and that will never change. But maybe with people like Heejin, she would find the strength to face it.

Maybe with Heejin, Hyunjin was stronger than she would be on her own.

Time can only tell.

***

Yerim groaned to the feeling of someone holding her shoulders and shaking her lightly. Her head was pounding and her body felt sore, making it feel like a chore to open her eyes and address the person in front of her. But eventually, Yerim's eyes fluttered open and a bright light took over her vision. 

"Hey, the girl is awake!" 

"About time."

Yerim saw a distant figure walking up to her, blocking the light from her eyes. The woman stopped in front of her, hands on her hips, and eyes glaring down at her. When Yerim's hazy eyes cleared, she recognized the dark purple hair and realized who it was. 

"Minji, what do you want with her?" The blonde woman who was shaking her asked, standing up and walking over to Minji's side.

"Gahyeon said we had to move her to the next base." Minji replied, eyes not breaking her glare at Yerim. "There's a week left so we have to pack up."

"We should just leave her. She does nothing for us and those kids already know what's going on. Or, is more about you wanting to play with her for a while?"

"It isn't about me. Besides, I never wanted to keep this girl as long as we did. I just wanted to mess with her for a day but you know how Gahyeon is."

"True," The blonde woman laughed. "I think Gahyeon just loves to mess with those kids."

"I think it's stupid. Those kids have nothing on us anyway. I could take all of them out if I wanted to."

"Yeah, but that would be less fun."

Yerim heard Minji snort as she walked up to her. She crouched up in front of her, face inches away from her own. Minji then forcibly grabbed her jaw, lifting her head until they were at the same eye level. Yerim watched the smirk growing on her face, eyebrows raised.

"She's a cutie, isn't she?" The blonde chuckled. "Maybe we should keep her around. If we can't have Jiwoo, then she's the next best thing."

"Nah, too pure to mess with. Besides, doesn't she have a girlfriend? Yeojin, right?"

Yerim tensed and eyes blew wide when she heard her girlfriend's name. Minji noticed this and chuckled lowly, noticing that she struck a nerve.

"Aw, you must miss her, don't you?" Minji asked, faking her sympathy. "It sucks that you guys have to be separated this long. Maybe I should go get her for you. You guys would get to locked up here together. Doesn't that sound fun?"

Yerim had the feeling of nausea rushing through her. The thought of these people harming Yeojin made her stomach feel heavy. Yerim could barely stay sane after spending almost two weeks in this cell, so she could not even imagine how Yeojin would handle this. Yerim missed Yeojin too much to express in words, but she was at least relieved that her girlfriend was safe. At least, for now. But still, the fact that they would even bring her up in this context made her feel sick. Feeling revulsion, Yerim flinched, jerking her head out of Minji's tight grasp. 

"Aw, poor baby..." Minji teased in a demoralizing tone. "Don't worry, you'll get to her soon. Hopefully, she won't be as idiotic as you and try to sneak into our base."

"Yeah, just wait another week." The blonde joined in. "You've already been here this long."

"Hey, quit fooling around."

Yerim looked towards the door to see another woman standing there. She had a stern stare that seems shoot daggers into Minji and the other woman. Her presence clearly made an effect on them, as the two women turned towards her with their smirks fading.

"We have a job to do. Yoohyeon, you were supposed to get the girl so we can start moving to our next base. Time is ticking."

"I was doing that! Just wanted to have a little fun first!" The blonde, now known as Yoohyeon, retorted, trying to sound reasonable. 

"You can have your fun in a week. But now, we have to get serious. Get Yerim and bring her into the car, now."

"But, why do we even need this girl?" Minji asked, not understanding the motive. "She's useless. We already have Haseul, isn't that enough?"

Yerim looked up the three women, not expecting to hear that name. What was Haseul doing here? Had she been here this whole time? So many questions that she dreaded she could not get the answers to. 

"Haseul was brought here to fulfill her end of the bargain. Yerim was brought here because she knew too much but now is only here as a way to keep those kids in check. We'll let her go soon, but for now, let's just follow what the boss says."

"Fine, whatever."

Minji pulled Yerim up by her arm, making her stand. With how weak her legs felt, Yerim had to lean against Minji to keep herself from falling to the ground. She was dragged a few feet before being pushed past the doorway and into two people, presumably guards. The two hybrids stood on either side of her, holding her arm with a firm grasp. 

"Take her to the car," Minji instructed to the guards. "Put her in the back with Haseul."

The guards nodded without saying a word. After this, one of them took out a long white cloth and put it over Yerim's eyes, tying it around her head with a tight knot. Yerim could see nothing but white, her vision fully blocked from her surroundings. The hybrid then tugged on the chain of her handcuffs, making Yerim hiss from the soreness of being restrained for so long. She was only allowed out the chains during eating time or bathroom breaks, so only about an hour or two a day. They began to walk while dragging Yerim by her arms. With her not being able to see, she could not tell where they were as they walked. It seemed to be the point, but it only made her scared for what is to come.

They were walking for a long period of time, so long that Yerim's legs felt even sorer than it did initially. But she bit her lip and tried to endure the pain, as complaining might make the situation worse. Eventually, Yerim felt warmth hit her skin, feeling like a relief from the freezing cell she was held in. Based on the sound of birds chirping and the cool breeze, she presumed that she was outside, probably heading to the car they were discussing earlier.

Eventually, the voices of different people became louder as she walked, following by the sound of a car engine rumbling. Eventually, their amble halted when the voices became comprehensible and the car engine roared in her ears. 

"How long is the trip?" Yerim heard someone ask.

"About five hours. We'll make it before sundown."

"Excellent. Make sure you don't let anyone spot them. Especially since Sooyoung is up our ass about it."

"Got it."

After this brief conversation, Yerim was shoved into what she assumed was the back seat of the car. After her arms and legs were inside, the door was slammed shut. Yerim heard complete silence before she heard the soft breathing of somebody nearby.

Yerim kept her mouth shut for a while, terrified that it was one of the guards. Eventually, the breathing stopped abruptly and was replaced by a familiar voice.

"Yerim."

"Y-Yes?" 

"So, they brought you here as well."

"Um, yes they did." Yerim gulped before asking: "Do I know you from somewhere? Your voice sounds familiar..."

"Yes, you do. If you remember me, that is."

"Wait..." Then Yerim remembered crucial information from earlier. That is when it dawned on her that the calm and strict tone was distinctive and could only belong to one person. 

"Haseul." Yerim spoke up just above a whisper. There was a small pause before she heard the voice speak once more.

"Correct."

"What are you doing here? They said that you were being held hostage too and that it was to fulfill some bargain? What's going on? Who are these people and what do they want with-"

"Shh. Do not speak too loudly. The space we are in is muffled, but could still be heard by the driver and guards if we are too noisy. You may speak to me, but only just above a whisper."

"Oh, sorry... I'm just confused..."

"Understandable. I will explain all I know to you and answer your pending questions, Yerim."

"Okay, then first.... Who are these guys? Why are they doing this?"

"It is hard to label them as a whole. But, they are a cult that has been around for longer we have been alive. For centuries, they have been gaining members, starting from a few until hundreds joined. The original leaders of this cult were a part of the notorious Han family. To keep it brief, they have been the cause of many attacks on the human race, as well as being a prominent presence in the war. After hybrids had lost, they began their cult called "Red Sun", named after the event that I will discuss later. After years of ruling, the Han family was murdered by humans that you may now know as the SRPC. The only family member left was Han Dong, who happily took on the role."

"Wait, isn't Han Dong that person who destroyed our mall?..."

"Yes, that is correct. Taken in her role, Han Dong made Gahyeon become the leader of the cult alongside her. They were girlfriends at the time, wives now, and so it was inevitable. Eventually, with Gahyeon being more involved, she became more of the leader than Han Dong but was. She would be stern and unforgiving, an authoritarian over the cult. In addition, Gahyeon had a way of gaining members with little effort, often targeting those who were young and suffering. They would find hybrids, must of them no older than sixteen, and would help them in their time of need. Since most hybrid youths came from poor or toxic families, the cult would be able to emotionally manipulate their victims. After years of this manipulation, Gahyeon would offer them a way to help all of dragonkind in the form of membership."

"But how is joining a cult helping anyone?..."

"It seemed to make sense to most. You have to consider that hybrids were tired of all of the discrimination they had been experiencing for a long time. They wanted change, but humans refused to listen or compromise. That made hybrids take drastic measures in order to reach their goal, and that included this cult. So, years later, the membership went from about a hundred to half a thousand."

"But what about Minji? And then there are these girls named Yoohyeon and Bora..."

"Oh, those women are close to the Gahyeon. There are five of them who are similar to second-rank leaders who assist Gahyeon and Han Dong with everything. You already met Minji, Yoohyeon, and Bora but the remaining two are Yubin and Siyeon, who you will most likely meet soon. They were friends before taking control of the cult, so it was natural for them to trust one another."

"But why are they trying to get Chaewon? What does she have to do with anything?"

Then the space became quiet. All Yerim could hear is the soft breathing of Haseul, who had taken a long pause. It was not until a minute before Yerim heard Haseul speak again.

"I am not ready to reveal that. All you should know is that they do not want Chaewon, specifically. They just need the power she possesses. They have no intention of harming her."

"I...I just can't believe that. They hurt me, so who's to stop them from hurting Chaewon?"

"They hurt you?..." Haseul sounded surprised.

"Yeah! Minji stuck her claws into my shoulder and chin, which made me bleed. And even while I was prisoner, they would kick me around and slap me repeatedly. The only reason they would stop was because Bora helped me..."

"Yeah, Bora is probably the least violent out of the seven of them. Minji is not the most violent, but she is the most impulsive."

"How do you know so much about them?..."

"I... It is a really long and detailed story. I can not share any details."

"Oh..."

Another long pause.

"Alongside that, I know that if you were to know why you would not look at me the same again."

Yerim did not know how to respond to that. She could not make sense of what Haseul was alluding to, but she could make out that it had to be something unexpected. Haseul certainly could not have done anything that atrocious, could she? Unfortunately, the vagueness of the statement did not give Yerim much to work with. 

"Sleep, Yerim. We have a long trip ahead of us."

"Okay..."

Yerim would probably pester Haseul about it later, but for now, she decided to take her advice and rest. Even though she felt anxious about the trip to who knows where at least she would actually have something somewhat comfortable to sleep on instead of the hard and cold floor of her cell. But before she fell asleep, she had to ask:

"Do you think our friends will find us?..."

"Yes." Haseul responded immediately, not wasting a second.

"How are you so sure? We don't even know where we're going..."

"Trust me. We don't need to know where we're going because..."

Haseul let out a small chuckle.

"They already know where it is."

***

Chaewon felt something tickling against her neck. She tried to ignore the feeling as she has as too tired to pay any mind towards it. However, eventually, the tickling of something rubbing against her neck gradually became wet kisses being pressed tenderly. It made her groan, forcing her to open her eyes.

Chaewon looked at the corner of her hooded eyes. She saw Hyejoo laying beside her, body pressed at her side and arms around her waist. Her face was nestled in the crook of Chaewon's neck, lips compressed on it while peppering chaste kisses. Based on the fact that Hyejoo's eyes were closed and her breathing was steady, Chaewon could tell that she was doing this subconsciously. 

"Hyejoo..." Chaewon groaned in a whining tone. She did not whether she was calling Hyejoo to make her stop or continue. Something that had never changed from the moment they met was the heat she felt under her skin whenever they showed one another affection. In a moment such as this, the heat was practically burning her as the sensation boiled within her. Like always, it felt soothing and made her yearn for more. But, the underlying tension was too much for her to handle, leading her to shy away.

"Hyejoo, wake up..." Chaewon whimpered, shaking her arm to wake her up.

"Hm?..." Hyejoo hummed, the kisses coming to a stop and lips pulling away. "What?..."

"You were....kissing my neck..."

"Really?..." Hyejoo did not sound all that surprised, her eyes remaining closed and body barely shifting. "While I was sleeping?.."

"Yes..."

"I didn't make you feel uncomfortable, did I?..."

"No, just felt like a weird way to wake up in the morning... Especially because of that heat came back again..."

Hyejoo hummed. She moved her head so she was facing Chaewon, eyes partly opening and gazing at her through her eyelashes. The left hand at Chaewon's waist slowly moved upwards until it reached her neck, thumb tracing circles into her neck. Hyejoo did not speak for the next minute, leading them to stare into each other's eyes sincerely. 

"How come you're so affectionate these days?..." Chaewon asked, breaking the silence.

"Don't know... It just feels like I have to." Hyejoo shrugged unsurely. "Like I have this desire to just touch you, which I'm trying to suppress but... clearly I'm failing terribly."

"I don't mind that much. I'm just curious..."

Hyejoo rolled her body towards the side table behind her and reached her hand over to her phone. Chaewon saw the screen lighting the room for a few seconds before it turned black again. Afterward, Hyejoo rolled her body back to face Chaewon and her hand returned to the blonde's neck.

"Four in the morning." Hyejoo simply said, referring to the time. It was not the first time they woke up extremely early in the morning. At first, it was due to Chaewon's nightmares. Now, they just seemed to wake up before sunrise as a habit, their body finding no need to sleep anymore. No matter how hard they tried to combat this, the couple could not gain the need to sleep again until evening. But on the bright side, their best conversations would always occur at this time - from debates to childhood stories. And, of course, making out would be a staple.

"Later than yesterday so that's good, I guess..."

"Yeah, but that probably meant that it'll be two in the morning tomorrow."

"That's true..."

"So, what should we talk about this time, babe?"

Chaewon pondered on her response, eyes shifting downwards. It was hard to find a topic they have yet to discuss. Maybe she could tell an embarrassing memory or debate on which food they had a preference to. But then, Chaewon remembered one topic they did brush over but never brought up again.

"Will I ever get to see you as a dragon?" 

Hyejoo stared at Chaewon stilly, the question coming out of the blue. Well, not entirely. Chaewon had mentioned about two months ago and then would hint at a few times since then. But, Hyejoo had mostly forgotten about it until now.

"You could. But not my full form."

"Aw," Chaewon whined. "Why?..."

"Because, if I fully transformed into the apartment, I would break through the walls." Hyejoo laughed.

"Oh... Makes total sense."

"But, I could change into my half-dragon form. It's not beautiful like yours though. Just warning you."

"I bet you are!" Chaewon disagreed, gasping as if she was personally offended. "Just do it right now!"

"Nah, it's boring."

"Please?..." Chaewon pleaded with puppy eyes and pouted lips. Hyejoo tried to resist but unfortunately, her biggest weakness was how adorable her girlfriend was. 

"Fine..." Hyejoo gave in, not being able to handle such cuteness. 

"Yes!" Chaewon exclaimed, knowing that she won.

"I'll just have to get up..." Hyejoo pulled her covers over her body and up to her shoulders, snuggling into it. She closed her eyes, smirking. "....in a few hours."

"Hey!" Chaewon tried to tear the blanket away from Hyejoo, but the hybrid's tight grip on it made the task impossible. "Get up!"

"Nope." Hyejoo murmured, making barely any effort to keep the covers over her. "Too tired..."

There was a struggle for another minute before it just stopped abruptly. Hyejoo, her eyes closed, could not hear Chaewon begging anymore. Instead, she felt the mattress shift and heard it creaking, indicating that Chaewon had left the bed. Hyejoo kept her eyes closed and pretended to sleep nonetheless, believing that Chaewon was trying to trick her in some way. 

Hyejoo then felt the blanket lift and something touching her feet. Whatever was at her feet began to run up her legs and to her torso, the blanket fluctuating in her hands. That is when Hyejoo finally stopped faking and opened her eyes. At the same moment, she did this, whatever was riding up her body decided to rear its head or "her" head in this case. Chaewon's head popped out from under the blanket, her face inches away from Hyejoo's. Her body was fully under covers, hands on either side of Hyejoo's body and her own body on top of the hybrid's.

"What do you think you're doing, baby girl?" Hyejoo asked, bewildered by the randomness of this action. 

"This."

Hyejoo felt Chaewon's hands slid under her shirt. After this, she felt her girlfriend's fingers start to tickle her sides. Now, another weakness Hyejoo had, besides Chaewon's innocence, was the fact that she was very ticklish. She was easily tickled anywhere - her neck, stomach, feet, etc. As soon as Chaewon figured this out, she would not hesitate to use that to her advantage.

And in this case, it was a huge advantage as Hyejoo was trapped in between the bed and Chaewon's body, being tickled at excess. Hyejoo tried to ignore it, but eventually, the laughter flew out of her lips and she began to writhe.

"S-Stop!" Hyejoo stammered, trying to speak in between laughter.

"Not until you agree to show me your half-dragon form!" Chaewon demanded, not slowing down her tickling. 

Hyejoo continued to laugh even louder, squirming and trying to push Chaewon away. Eventually, she was able to push Chaewon off her, taking her girlfriend's arms away from her stomach with a tight grip on the wrists. With tickling finally ceased, Hyejoo manhandled Chaewon until she was now on top of the other. Hyejoo then pinned Chaewon to the bed by her wrists.

"Hey, let me go!" Chaewon whined, trying to pull her wrists out of Hyejoo's grasp but failed as the hybrid was too strong. Hyejoo grinned victoriously while continuing to pin Chaewon down with little effort.

"Fine, I'll show you." Hyejoo snickered, deciding to give Chaewon what she wanted. "But only for a minute."

"Finally!" Chaewon cheered, smiling and looking at Hyejoo expectedly.

Hyejoo sat back on Chaewon's lap, letting go of her wrists. She instead took her hand and placed it over Chaewon's eyes, blocking her vision. 

"What are you doing?..." Chaewon asked, confused why Hyejoo was covering her eyes. Hyejoo did not respond, and it was not until a full minute before anything else was done. 

"Here," Hyejoo pulled her hand away from Chaewon's eyes, allowing her to see once again. When Chaewon was able to look at Hyejoo again, she was completely blown away by what she was seeing. 

Hyejoo, who was sitting comfortably on top of her, was staring down at her with crimson red eyes. Chaewon was able to see fangs protruding from the hybrid's mouth, larger and sharper than her own. Her cheeks were blush colored and there was a scar on the left cheek. Just like with Chaewon, Hyejoo did have horns on her head, curling inwards with black at its base and red at its tips. Her wings were blood red and scaly, with them also being as large as half of Hyejoo's whole body. 

"Well, satisfied?" Hyejoo rolled her eyes, not seeing the appeal and ready to get it over with.

"I'm more than satisfied," Chaewon giggled, still gazing at Hyejoo with amazement. "Hyejoo, you look pretty!"

"Really?" Hyejoo sounded surprised, truly sounding like was not expecting the compliment. "You like how I look?"

"Yes! Why shouldn't I? You look so beautiful like this!"

This was the first time Chaewon actually saw Hyejoo flustered, the blush on her cheeks darkening. She looked away from her Chaewon and to the wall next to her, too embarrassed to look her in the eyes.

"Thanks..." 

"Aww," Chaewon cooed, sitting up on the bed and cupped Hyejoo's face, forcing the hybrid to look at her. "You're embarrassed, aren't you?"

"Whatever..." Hyejoo rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Chaewon could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks becoming hotter. "Can I please change back now?"

"No, you should stay like this all day..." Chaewon pouted.

Hyejoo groaned but did not try to protest or deny her girlfriend of what she wanted. Maybe Chaewon's effect on her was slowly making her less potent and resistant. But Hyejoo never complained about it, just simply finding it fascinating.

"If I'm going to stay like this, then you are too," Hyejoo stated, giving an ultimatum.

"Fine but how do I... transform willingly?" Chaewon asked.

"You just to think about it heavily and then just let your body do its thing. It's not as hard as it seems, trust me."

Chaewon did trust Hyejoo, so she tried to do what she was told. So, Chaewon closed her eyes and tried to envision her half-dragon form. She did so for about it minute before opening her eyes again. At first, Chaewon thought it did not work since she did not feel any different. But as she noticed the wonderment in Hyejoo's eyes, Chaewon immediately got confirmation that it did.

"It....worked?" Chaewon asked.

"Yeah, it did," Hyejoo responded, eyes gazing at all her dragon appendages with a gaped mouth. "Good job."

"Thanks..."

They both smiled at each other. Now they were both in their half-dragon form and were equally as jovial about it. Were they truly about to be in this form all day? Probably not. But at least they could spend the rest of the early morning like this, breath being taken away by the other person. 

They were so wrapped up in each other that they did not notice the red and golden light surrounding them at this very moment. They were so busy kissing and show each other affection that they did not notice their surroundings fading around them. Hyejoo did not even start to pay attention until she saw Chaewon's necklace began to glow brightly below her eyes. At that point, their surroundings were fully faded and there was a white light in its place, forcing them to shut their eyes to avoid being blinded.

They finally felt safe enough to open their eyes after another minute. They felt that what they were sitting was no longer a smooth bed, but something rough scratching at their bare feet. In addition to that, they felt a warm breeze blow past their skin, indicating that they were no longer in their bedroom. When the fog over their eyes cleared, they saw that they were in a large field of flowers - a valley that seemed to stretch for miles.

Chaewon immediately recognized where they were. It was obvious by the colorful flowers, lavender scent, clear skies, and even the sakura tree behind them. It was clear yet unbelievable at the same time.

"This....is where my dreams started." Chaewon spoke up. "Where I meet that lady with the blindfold. But...how is this happening? I'm not sleeping, am I?"

Hyejoo remained silent even after she said this, looking around like she recognized this place as well. She ascertained that she did, which came to a complete shock to her when it hit her like a dozen bricks.

"Chaewon."

"Yes?"

"I've been here before."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 23! Originally, I was going to have vision 4 this chapter but there is something that needs to be done first ;) wait until next chapter to see what it is! The first part of this chapter was honestly heartbreaking to write, but is needed for Heejin and Hyunjin's development. While it upsetting, it was also heartwarming. We also had an update on Yerim and Haseul, and more backed knowledge on the cult. 
> 
> Next chapter will bring a bomb of truths, so be ready!
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	24. 𝒊 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i may have no realized it in the past  
> for i was too blinded to know the truth  
> or did not have the context to know the meaning.  
> but then i look back to months prior...  
> and it opened my eyes.  
> maybe it was intentional, maybe not.  
> but now that i have both the truth and meaning  
> 𝒊 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"Excuse me, boss?"

Gahyeon turned away from her paperwork, addressing the hybrid that entered her office.

"Yes? Any information?" 

"Yes, quite a lot. They found the fourth item."

"Really?" Gahyeon sat up in her chair, sounding intrigued.

"Yes. Jinsoul had contacted Hyunjin to notify her of their discovery. Apparently, Chaewon's parents had it."

"Ah, that makes sense. Haeun was always close to them. Of course, she would give it to them."

"So, what shall we do next? They didn't sound like they were ready to give up any time soon."

"So, Heejin gave Hyunjin the letter?"

"Yes. Almost gave up, but Heejin was persistent."

Gahyeon hummed and sat back in her seat, toying with the pen in her hands. She contemplated for a while before speaking up again.

"Has Chaewon seen the fourth vision?"

"No, not until later today."

"Alright, let's give them until after that. Then, we'll start the first phase."

"This early?" The hybrid stepped backs, shocked. "I thought we had to wait for after the fifth vision?"

"That was the plan. However, I already know what the fifth item is. Or rather, who it is." Gahyeon stood up from her seat. "In the evening, we will go over the apartment and take her."

"But, what about her girlfriend and friends?"

"That won't be a problem. We will use any force necessary and not let anyone stand in our way. You are allowed to harm anyone that intervenes except for Chaewon and Hyejoo. No one shall harm them for any reason, understood? If you have any issues, contact me immediately."

"Understood." The hybrid nodded. "How many should we bring?"

"We don't want to draw too much attention, so bring about six or seven hybrids. Let Yubin join you since she could handle Heejin."

"Got it, boss." The hybrid nodded again and bowed before leaving the office.

Once she was alone, Gahyeon picked up her cellphone and started to dial. After a few rings, the person on the other side responded.

"Hello?"

"The first phase is a go."

***

"You've been here before?* Chaewon gasped in disbelief. "How?"

"Remembered when I said that my mom would bring me to a valley sometimes?" Hyejoo asked. "Yeah, this was it."

"So... I have been dreaming of that place all this time? Wow..." Chaewon was astounded by this coincidence. But, then again, a lot of the series of events that had occurred this past few months were riddled with coincidences, so this just added to the list. 

Hyejoo got off of Chaewon's lap, standing up and pulling Chaewon up off the ground with her. Gazing around at the scenery, a slew of past memories thronged into her mind. She remembered all of the times her mother brought here. The first time her mother brought her to this valley was on her third birthday. Hyejoo could barely remember it, but she could recall the exuberance and delirium her three-year-old self the moment she arrived. She had run around for almost an hour, her mother playing along with her. After the first time, it became a tradition for them to visit monthly. Even as a young girl, Hyejoo's mind was sharp and could store most of their mother and daughter's conversations into her head, allowing her to recollect it today. This place was the source of her fondest memories, especially of her mother.

"This place is just as beautiful as I remember it..." Hyejoo spoke in awe, beholding the breathtaking landscape with wide eyes. 

"It is beautiful." Chaewon agreed, joining her in the admiration. "But...why now? Why both of us?"

"I don't know... You said you only see this when you're sleeping?"

"Yes."

"Then I have no clue." Hyejoo shrugged, unable to think up a theory. "Unless we were sleeping the entire time. Maybe like a lucid dream?"

"Possibly, but then why not just bring us here?" Chaewon asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we should find that woman you see in these dreams and ask her."

"I wish we could." Chaewon sighed. "But she usually just pops out of nowhere. I can't control when she appears."

"Well, we can at least try," Hyejoo suggested adamantly. "It's not like we have anything better to do."

So with them nodding in agreement, Chaewon and Hyejoo began to stroll down the pathway, holding each other's hand tightly. Neither of them knew where they were going, just choosing to follow their intuitions. From what Hyejoo could see, it looked the valley stretched for miles, with her not being able to see an end to the flowery landscape. That differed from when she was younger since - if she remembered it correctly - the valley she remembered was not nearly as large. However, this was a dream, so Hyejoo did not expect much realism. At least, she assumed it was a dream. 

"You've been here before," Chaewon noted, speaking up after a few minutes of walking. "So, do you know where we could go?"

"I have but it wasn't as large as this place." Hyejoo replied. "Probably because this is a simulation of that place. So, this valley could be endless."

"Then we could be walking for hours..." Chaewon sighed. "Can't we, maybe, fly? Maybe we could travel around faster..."

"I would but you have no experience with flying." Hyejoo chuckled, imagining her girlfriend trying to fly. "You'd probably just fall flat on your face."

"I'm probably better than you think!" Chaewon retorted. "Just let me try!"

"Fine." Hyejoo agreed, smirking to herself. Even though she was confident that Chaewon would not be able to, at least it might be humorous seeing her try. Most hybrids are not able to fly until they have tried after a month of practice. Chaewon just got her wings yesterday so Hyejoo did not expect her to learn overnight.

"Okay, can you go first? Just so I can see how you do it."

Hyejoo shrugged but decided to do so. For her, flying was a simple task that she could do subconsciously - having done so for over a decade of her life. Dragon wings - even with her human body - was an easy limb to control just like an arm or leg would be. So, Hyejoo began to flap her wings at a steady pace. After a few flaps, she immediately levitated off the ground until she was a few feet above Chaewon.

Meanwhile, Chaewon's eyes were fixed on Hyejoo, mouth opened in astonishment. Hyejoo could see the worry in her eyes and could even notice her gulp along with that.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Hyejoo teased, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms. 

"Uh... H-Hold on! I'm just preparing myself!" Chaewon stuttered, making Hyejoo laugh a bit.

Chaewon took a deep inhalation and let out a shaky breath. Hyejoo could see Chaewon's wings begin to flap at a slow pace and with inconsistency, seemingly testing out her new appendages. It took a minute before Chaewon actually started to levitate off the ground, but only about five or six inches. Just as Hyejoo predicted, unfortunately, Chaewon could only hold it for a few seconds before she fell back to the ground, losing balance and falling headfirst into a bed of flowers. 

"See? Told you." Hyejoo snickered, making Chaewon let out a muffled whine. 

"So, how was your first flying experience, babe?"

"Shut it." Chaewon groaned, the flowers muffling her words. Hyejoo laughed for a while before flying down to help her girlfriend out of the flower bed. Chaewon wore a pout on her face, looking like an upset toddler.

"Don't worry, babe," Hyejoo reassured after a few laughs, taking the few shreds of grass and stray flower petals out of Chaewon's hair. "I can teach you another time. Trust me - it gets easier with practice."

"I never thought it would be that hard..." Chaewon sighed in disappointment. Obviously, she did not expect to able to fly as high as Hyejoo but she thought she could at least get close and fly a lot longer than she did.

"Aww...You'll be able to do it soon." Hyejoo squished Chaewon's cheeks and pecked her pouting lips. "We just need to get through this crisis first. Then we'll have all the time in the world."

"I hope so..." 

Hyejoo frowned at the despondency in Chaewon's face. She did not expect her to take it so seriously but it proved untrue by her demeanor. Luckily, Hyejoo had an idea.

"Come here," Hyejoo instructed, opening her arms for Chaewon. Chaewon stared for a moment, puzzled on what Hyejoo was intending to do. She was about to ask why but then she was stopped by Hyejoo grabbing her arms suddenly. Hyejoo wrapped Chaewon's arms around her own neck, following with her placing her hands under the blonde's thighs and lifted her up. Chaewon immediately understood her initial purpose and wrapped her legs around her girlfriend's waist, additionally tightening her arms around the other woman's neck, koala hugging her from the front.

"What are you doing?" Chaewon asked, confused at why Hyejoo would pick her up. 

"Well, you said you wanted to fly so..." Hyejoo whispered into her ear. Chaewon looked at her skeptically but her expression instantly warped into fright as she felt herself rising from the ground. Looking downwards, she confirmed that they were no longer on the ground but hovering in the air. Hyejoo flew higher until they had to be about twenty feet high.

"Wait!" Chaewon exclaimed, clutching on to Hyejoo tightly as the flew up a few more feet. "I never said I wanted to go up this high!"

"You'll have to get used to it if you want to fly!" Hyejoo advised, laughing at Chaewon's reaction. "This should be a breeze for hybrids."

"Well, I just found out I was a hybrid literally two weeks ago so don't expect me just "get used to it" so easily!" Chaewon protested, glancing repeatedly towards the ground that appeared so distant.

"Just hold on for a minute." Hyejoo held the trembling woman closer, floating higher. She finally stopped her vertical ascent when she could finally look over the landscape, searching for any point where the valley ends. Just her luck, Hyejoo could see a house off in the distance, maybe about three to four miles.

"D-Did you find anything?" Chaewon stuttered, head buried in Hyejoo's chest while refusing to look up out of fear. 

"Yeah, I can see a house over there," Hyejoo responded. "Only a few miles."

"Great! Now can we walk there, maybe?" Chaewon asked excitedly, lifting her head and looking at Hyejoo sheepishly. Hyejoo raises an eyebrow as if to ask her "are you serious?". She did not give her suggestion much thought, smirking and snickering to herself.

"Better hold on tight, baby." Hyejoo warned, glancing at Chaewon's panic-stricken facial expression before soaring off towards the house at a rapid speed. It only took them less than a minute to make it to that house, with Chaewon screaming all the way there. She only stopped shrieking when her feet could finally touch the ground, Hyejoo setting herself and Chaewon down gently. 

"See? That wasn't so bad." 

"Why are you so annoying today?" Chaewon whined, staring at her crossly.

"Hey, you were the one who suggested to fly in the first place." Hyejoo shrugged, sticking her tongue out teasingly. "I was just helping."

"Wow, thanks." Chaewon spoke with sarcasm.

After their mini banter, they turned towards the house that was right behind them. The house was built out of wood, neatly constructed. It was a small cottage, but the flower decorations and moss littered all over made it visually pleasing. It looked like a house that could have been sourced from Jungeun's dimension. 

"Do you think that woman lives here?" Hyejoo asked, walking up the door. 

"She could. I'm not sure..." Chaewon confessed.

Hyejoo hummed and put her fist to the door, knocking gently. She waited a minute to see if there was an answer. When no one answered the door, Hyejoo knocked again, a little more forceful this time. Still no answer.

"You think someone is home?" Chaewon asked.

"Let's look." Hyejoo replied, moving towards the window to look inside. The house looked empty, and in fact looked like it had not been touched in years, with all the dust settled on all the furniture.

"Looks like no one lives here..."

"Wait, this is a dream right?" Chaewon remembered. "So, this has to be a replica of the house. Maybe that's why no is in here?"

"But why a random house?" Hyejoo asked, flabbergasted. "The valley is connected with me, but I don't remember a house like this..."

Chaewon focused on the door of the cottage. There was a voice in the small part of her mind that began to whisper. It was the same voice she has been hearing for the past few months, but it sounded more languid and distant. The whispers were incoherent, sounding as if it was in a different language. But somehow, Chaewon was able to understand the message, eyes wandering off to the doorknob. 

"Babe, are you feeling okay?" Hyejoo asked, watching the blank stare on Chaewon's face. Chaewon did not reply but instead grabbed hold of Hyejoo's hand with a tight grip. With her other hand, she also grabbed the doorknob, turning it with no hesitation. The door was no locked, just as she suspected, and Chaewon as able to push the door open.

The inside of the cottage was just as Hyejoo described - antiquated and untouched. To their left, there was a living room of worn-out furniture, torn with cotton coming out of every snag. There was a bookshelf behind one of the couches, full to the brim with literature. To the right, there was a kitchen with wooden cabinets surrounding the space. There were plates of food set on the counter, heat radiating from it like it had just been made. The contrast between the run-down state of the living room and the pristine condition of the kitchen was jarring. 

"This house looks...weird," Hyejoo commented, eyes wandering around. "Maybe we should just leave-"

Chaewon did not listen to the comment, taking one step into the house. As soon as her foot was placed on the wooden flooring, the whole scenery began to change drastically. The house turned bright red, the light illuminating against their skin. The door behind them was thrown shut, startling them both.

"What the fuck??-" Hyejoo tried to turn the doorknob and push open the door, but it would not budge. She tried to unlock it, but the lock refused to budge. 

"We're trapped in here!!" Hyejoo exclaimed, starting to panic. Whatever trance Chaewon was trapped in had immediately ceased, the door slam snapping her out of it. She tried to help Hyejoo push open the door, but it was no use.

"What's going on??" Chaewon looked at Hyejoo with wide eyes, breathing heavily.

"I don't know! You brought us in here!" 

"I wasn't planning to!" Chaewon protested. "I don't know what came over me! It was like someone was controlling me..."

Hyejoo groaned but believed what Chaewon said was true. Considering that this was not the first time, she had no reason to disbelieve. Hyejoo just wished it would no occur in situations like these.

"Let's look around the house," Hyejoo suggested. "Maybe there's a back door or some-"

Hyejoo saw something flicker in the corner of her eye along with a crackling noise, causing her to pause and jerk her head around. As soon as she turned around, she immediately backed against the door. Chaewon had a puzzling look at first and turned around to glance at what Hyejoo had seen, instantly backing into the door as well.

Everything that had taken note of before was now covered in flames. The torn-up couches were now burning from the fire, as well as the wooden shelf behind them. They could barely see the kitchen anymore, as the fire had risen so high that it hide it entirely. Some parts of the floor and ceiling were on fire as well, making them feel boxed in. Chaewon had jumped when one wooden plank from the scorching ceiling had fallen in front of her, inches away from her bare feet. 

"Hyejoo, what do we do?!" Chaewon asked in a petrified tone, stepping behind Hyejoo and clinging onto her arm tightly. 

"I don't know!" Hyejoo responded. "We have to get out of here!"

"But the door's locked!"

"I know but then the only other way is to wake up!" 

"But we can't!" Chaewon shouted. "With these dreams, I can't wake up until it's over!"

Hyejoo groaned. If those two options were impossible, then there was not much they could do. Of course, it was only a dream, but with how they could feel the heat from the fire against their skin, it felt too real to be one. Could they even die in a dream? They were not about to find out the hard way. 

Hyejoo was not very concerned for herself and was mostly terrified for Chaewon. Flame hybrids can withstand high temperatures and have skin tough enough to not get burned as easily. The only way to burn a flame hybrid is by a fire created by another flame hybrid, which is highly unlikely in this case. Chaewon, however, was not as lucky. 

"Stay behind me," Hyejoo demanded, blocking Chaewon from the rising flames with her arms and wings. "We need to find another way out. There has to be a back door in this place."

"Let's hurry then before this place burns down," Chaewon suggested, standing close behind Hyejoo with her hands on her shoulders.

Both of them walked swiftly but cautiously past the living room, keeping a close eye on the flames. Luckily, another ability that flame hybrids possessed was pyrokinesis, or the power to create and control fire. So when they came across a high fire blocking them from entering the hallway, Hyejoo simply used this ability to split it down the middle, allowing them enough space to walk through. They continued to speed walk down this hallway, taking a glimpse in each of the rooms.

Chaewon's focus on trying to escape was disrupted by her hearing the faint sound of crying. The cries only got louder the farther they walked, eventually becoming loud enough for it to resound in her ear. 

"Don't you hear that?" Chaewon asked, stopping in her tracks. "The crying?"

"No?" Hyejoo replied, confused about how Chaewon could hear that. 

Chaewon looked towards the partly open door. She could not shake off the sound of wailing that blared in her ears, even if it might have been all in her head. No being able to get over the noise, Chaewon let go of Hyejoo's shoulders and opened the door, rushing inside with no second thought.

"Chaewon!" Hyejoo called out, following her girlfriend in the room. 

Entering the room, Chaewon instantly saw what sourced the noise. And as soon as she saw it, her breath got caught in her throat and her mind almost went blank as the recognition dawned on her.

"Chaewon, what are you-"

There, in the corner of the room, was a man and a woman. They were kneeling on the floor in front of this burnt down rummage, sobbing copiously. The woman was holding something in her arms, close to her chest. Chaewon quickly realized that it was not a thing, but a human. As the woman shifted her arms, Chaewon could see a baby nestled in them, not moving and barely breathing. The baby looked pale and almost lifeless, in addition to also being wrapped in a white cloth that was burnt in several places. Both the man and woman were hysterical, ignoring the fire and was preoccupied with the exanimate body of their child.

Chaewon immediately recognized the face of her parents, even at their younger age. By using context clues, she realized what event was currently taking place. The sequence of events seemed to replicate the story her parents had told her yesterday. This house must have been the same house that the fire took place over two decades ago. And if all that was true, then the baby in her mother's arms must be...

"That's me." Chaewon whispered, eyes filling with tears. "All of this is...a memory."

"Chaewon..." Hyejoo spoke up but did not know how to finish her phrase. 

"N-No..." Chaewon's voice began to break. She could hear her own heartbeat thumping in her ears as her body began to quiver. The tears that she was holding back had overflowed and gushed down her face. Her throat tightened and her hands covered her mouth, mumbling incoherent whispers that Hyejoo almost did not hear. Chaewon did not know why she had such a strong reaction, but she made no effort to control it, letting the tremor take modulate her emotions.

"Come here..." Hyejoo took hold of Chaewon hand and pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her body and hugging her close. As Chaewon's chin laid on her shoulder, Hyejoo began to stroke the top of her head to comfort her.

Chaewon was wailing into Hyejoo's shoulder, tears staining her pajama shirt. She spent a few minutes crying before returning her gaze to her parents, who were still sitting on the floor. This time, however, there was a looming figure floating near her parents, illuminating a golden light and wearing a white gown. For some reason, the scene began to become blurry and the voices sounded distant. It would happen on and off, one moment being able to comprehend everything, then the next moment losing this ability. It was like watching a video, but every now and then the quality would drop and the audio would go silent. It was peculiar considering that Chaewon could hear and see Hyejoo just fine, while her parents and that figure were so obscure.

But, there was one phrase that Chaewon was able to pick up. A phrase that she remembered so vividly as it was said not too long ago.

"..... Do not let your daughter fight the sun. As she becomes of age, Chaewon is not ready for her yet...."

That warning. It was the same warning from that mysterious voice from months back, from when all of these occurrences started. That night when Hyejoo and the others had come into her life. She heard this exact same phrase, down to the exact same wording. Even the voice sounded the exact same, the tone very similar as well. Chaewon refused to forget about it to this day as it was the start of a whirlwind of odd events. Hearing this, it felt like a train of deja vu had crashed into her.

"Chaewon!!"

Chaewon had snapped out of her daze by Hyejoo calling out to her. Hyejoo had a horror-stricken facial expression as her eyes were fixed to the ground below them. Chaewon looked at the floor to investigate what was causing this reaction and she saw the floor began to crack under their feet. Both of them tried to move from this spot but their feet were somehow glued to the floor. All they could do is panic as the ground continued to crumble. Eventually, the floor finally caved in, creating a hole large enough for them to fall inside, their screams echoing as they plummeted.

***

Chaewon screamed as her eyes shot open, body trembling. The shrieking immediately alerted Hyejoo, who immediately threw her arms around her, holding Chaewon's shaking body and stroking her back to comfort her. Chaewon was confused at first, but then the memories of what happened moments ago rapidly flooded into her head. An onslaught of emotions stirred up within her, resulting in an overflow of hot tears. She could not control the wailing and whispering that spilled out of her mouth, reverberating along the walls of their bedroom.

"Good morning you two!!" Jungeun had exclaimed, bursting into the room, unaware of what was taking place initially. "How did you guys sle-"

Jungeun instantly stopped speaking when she saw Chaewon sobbing in Hyejoo's arms. She stared for a minute until Hyejoo lifted her head, eyes twinkling with tears.

"Just give us a few minutes..."

***

Jiwoo was about to open the door to exit her apartment, coat buttoned and purse tightly in hand. She was in a hurry since Gahyeon had contacted her to meet her at the park to discuss of few things. She was skeptical since Gahyeon had called her at five in the morning, but she was not about to turn down her friend. So, Jiwoo sneakily got out of bed as soon as the call ended, showering, throwing on clothes, and eating a quick breakfast. Now, it was past six in the morning, and Jiwoo was about to head out.

Jiwoo was almost about to turn the doorknob, but then she heard the door to her bedroom creak open. 

"Jiwoo?..." Sooyoung said hoarsely, rubbing her eyes as she dragged her feet out of the bedroom. "Where are you going?..."

"Oh, just going to see a friend!" Jiwoo fibbed, laughing awkwardly. "I'll be back soon!"

"A friend?.." Sooyoung raised an eyebrow. "At six in the morning?"

"Yeah, I made a promise! And I can't turn it down so I'll be right back! Bye!" 

"Hold up!" Sooyoung walked up the door and put her hand on it, stopping Jiwoo from opening it. "Why are you always leaving lately?"

"I'm just busy these days!" Jiwoo protested, trying to sound reasonable but ended up sounding more guilty. "Nothing much to it!"

"But you're always going places." Sooyoung argued, growing frustrated. "Even when I ask you if you're going anywhere, you sometimes just lie to me at first. Now it's happening every other day. At first, I was trying to be supportive but now...this is getting too excessive. It's like you're hiding something from me..."

"I'm not hiding anything!" Jiwoo crossed her arms. "I just...have things I need to deal with!"

"And that so-called "friend" will help with that?"

"Yes, she is!" 

"Look, baby," Sooyoung sighed. "Can you not go visit this "friend" today? We have a company meeting in a few hours anyway and we should probably rest before then. You can go visit them tomorrow."

"It's very important so I have to go!" Jiwoo exclaimed. "Please, you just.... don't understand."

"And how can I understand if you hide everything from me!" Sooyoung snapped, glaring at Jiwoo crossly.

"Wow, look who's being a hypocrite." Jiwoo rolled her eyes, becoming agitated. "I pressed you for months to stop hiding things from me, and now you're angry when I do it. How ironic."

"So, what? Is this a way of getting back at me?!" 

"Not intentionally. I just don't see how you could be so nosy when you raged at me for being just the same."

"I had a reason to hide my past from you!" Sooyoung clenched her fists. "That was a traumatic experience for me and took me a long time to come to grips with it! You know that it was not intentional! For what I can tell, you don't have a reason! You're just trying to avoid me and you're not being very subtle about it!"

Jiwoo knew that she was taking this too far with no clear rationale behind it. She could have just stopped right there and told Sooyoung the truth, or at least try and calm her down. She should have done that, but her unfounded rage made the following words burst out of her mouth.

"Maybe I am trying to avoid you! At least my friend isn't a cold-hearted murderer like you!"

As soon as Jiwoo knew what she had blurted out, she immediately covered her mouth but it was too late. Jiwoo could see the rage relinquishing from Sooyoung's face, fists loosening and shoulders dropping. She pursed her lips, nodding to herself while her eyes wandered around the room. 

"Okay." 

"Wait, Sooyoung, I didn't mean-"

"Go," Sooyoung said stiffly, voice monotoned and detached. "Go see that friend. I hope she isn't heartless like me."

Sooyoung did not wait for a response and immediately went back to the bedroom, slamming the door with brute force. Jiwoo was left there speechless, stunned by the events that just took place. Instant regret washed over her, torn between leaving or trying to apologize to Sooyoung. But, she ended up choosing the former as her hand moved towards the doorknob and she turned it, pushing the door open followed by closing and locking it behind her.

Jiwoo left the apartment with a pit in her stomach, but with too much stubbornness to turn back. 

***

"Anyone else need more tissues?" Heejin asked, picking up another box of tissues from the cabinet. 

"M-May I have one?" Kahei asked from the couch, sniffling and clutching onto Yeojin, who was crying into her shoulder. 

"Sure, have them all." Heejin handed the tissues over to Kahei before returning to the other couch, sitting next to Hyunjin with crossed legs.

"Are you guys feeling any better?" Hyunjin asked, looking up from the briefcase she had opened on her lap. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kahei responded, weakly smiling. Kahei and Yeojin had come over to Hyunjin's apartment, initially expected them to go visit Haseul, just as Heejin had promised. But after five minutes of explaining the situation, it ended up with the two of them bawling their eyes out on the couch. 

"How about you, Yeojin?"

Yeojin was too busy sobbing into Kahei's neck to respond to Hyunjin's question. 

"I...think she's getting better," Kahei responded for her, chuckling awkwardly. 

"You two are overreacting." Heejin rolled her eyes, leaning back against the couch. "They're not dead or anything. Sooyoung told us that they're alive, just held hostage. We just need to find a chance to rescue them. Crying won't help shit."

After finding out that Haseul had been taken, Hyunjin contacted Sooyoung to check on how Haseul was doing, as well as Yerim's current state. The good news was that they were both alive, unfortunately with some minor injuries. Of course, Sooyoung had to take it with a grain of salt since that was hearsay, but everyone she asked seemed to support this theory. The bad news was that they were no longer at the original base, but at an unknown location. So, that would make the rescue a lot more challenging than originally planned. That only increased the fear they had that Yerim and Haseul were still okay, but they still held hope.

"I know, we should stop crying..." Kahei sighed. "But, this whole crisis is just so... confusing. I don't understand why anyone would commit something as heinous as this. I understand that they are hostile towards the past, but that shouldn't translate into trying to harm anyone."

"They will be okay." Hyunjin asserted, sounding certain. "That cult has no need for those two. They have overly stressed that they only need Chaewon, not them. I'm pretty sure they'll let them go eventually."

"But, aren't they trying to...you know..." Yeojin finally spoke up, wiping her tears stained cheeks. "They want to murder all humans, right? Yerim is human so...."

"I don't think they want to kill you humans." Heejin disagreed. "Honestly, if they wanted to, I'm pretty sure they would've done it by now. Even the most enraged hybrid doesn't want to outright end the human race. I think they just want to commit some kind of revenge. The letter said they were trying to bring back the souls of some dead hybrids, so obviously that's apart of it."

"They were also trying to hype it up as more momentous than the war if that's even possible," Hyunjin added. "Whether that's true or not is obsolete. Right now, we have to get serious."

"But what we do?" Yeojin asked desperately.

"Well, the first part is to try and stall their plans as much as we can," Hyunjin advised. "Chaewon plays a huge part in that so she's our top priority. I'm thinking we could send her somewhere, maybe another dimension? Because we can't just hide Chaewon in her apartment forever. The cult probably knows where she lives and are just eagerly waiting for the chance to grab her. We need to send her to a place that barely anyone knows about."

"We could, but there are two issues with that." Heejin began. "The first issue is that most dragon dimensions are not safe for anyone of Chaewon's ability. Anyone would be bribed out of revealing her location, even in Jungeun's or my own dimension, even if we are the most accepting. We can hold her in one dimension for a month, two at tops, but we would have to move to another dimension just to avoid being spotted. And then the second issue...is that it's just too risky."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we still don't know how they are keeping an eye on us. Somehow, they seemed to know our whereabouts, conversations, and plans. If we can't figure out how they know this, then there's no point in trying to hide. They could be listening to us right now."

"Maybe it's a spy?" Kahei asked, trying to contribute. 

"I doubt that." Hyunjin shook her head. "Most of the information they know was discussed behind closed doors. And none of us are spies, I'm one hundred percent sure of that. Plus...when Yubin first confronted me, she hinted at herself knowing about my relationship with Heejin. The only time we mentioned it was in this apartment, late at night. No way anyone could have known about that unless someone was there."

"Then, maybe a camera?" Kahei suggested. "Maybe they could have hidden a camera in here?"

"That would make more sense, but there's one contradiction." Hyunjin sighed, sitting up and beginning to twirl around the pendant on her necklace between her fingers. "All of these conversations we've had have been both outside and inside this apartment, so the camera is not in here. Or at least, doesn't stay in here...."

"Then is it something we also have with us?" Heejin asked. "Maybe they hacked your phone or something."

"Could be..."

"Before we do anything, we need to figure it out so our efforts won't go in vain."

Their conversation was temporarily interjected by a knock at the door. Heejin groaned but stood up to answer it. As she walked away, Hyunjin looked back down into her briefcase, reading over its contents. This was the same briefcase that her grandfather gave to her months ago. It had been sitting in her drawer since then, untouched. After what happened with Heejin and that flower, Hyunjin decided to not go through it for fear of creating a situation similar to what happened to her. The fact that Heejin had almost killed Hyunjin because of the flower's effects was enough to make her cautious. But with everything becoming direr by the day, Hyunjin had to use every resource she had that could aid them with this dilemma.

Hyunjin took out that same flower from months ago, examining it. After learning the name of the future incident the cult was working towards as "The Red Sun", it reminded her of this flower, with its name being "The Wild Sun's Rose". Maybe it was only a coincidence, but it was fascinating that these names were almost the same. Hyunjin would have to look into its significance as soon as she could. Maybe there was more to this rose that meets the eye.

"Jiwoo?" 

Hyunjin, along with Kahei and Yeojin, looked up towards the door that Heejin had opened. There stood Jiwoo, entering through the door. Her eyes were puffy and her face burning red, avoiding eye contact with anyone. It was easy to tell that she had been crying, with Hyunjin even being able to see the welled up tears in her eyes from where she was sitting. 

"Jiwoo?" Yeojin looked up at her with worried eyes. "What's wrong?"

Jiwoo let out a shaky sigh, shoulders slouching. 

"Why are you crying? Wait, no one else got kidnapped, right?!" 

Jiwoo shook her head, looking downwards.

"Is it your parents again?" Kahei asked, trying to sound sympathetic.

Jiwoo shook her head again.

"Is it Sooyoung?" Heejin asked as she closed the door. "I would not be surprised..."

"That's....part of it." Jiwoo murmured, almost too quiet for them to hear. 

"Jiwoo." Hyunjin shut the lid of her briefcase, setting it on the coffee table, and standing up from the couch. "Tell us what's happening."

Jiwoo sighed again, looking up at Hyunjin with pursed lips, looking as if she was holding back tears. 

"I... I'm so confused." Jiwoo whispered. "I just... Nothing makes sense....and I don't know who to trust..."

Heejin and Hyunjin exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what led to this statement. 

"There's been... something that's been going on for a while..." Jiwoo began. " I thought I was helping but... I don't know anymore..."

"Tell us, Jiwoo." Hyunjin demanded, glaring sternly. Even though Jiwoo had been vague up to this point, it did not take a genius for them to tell that she was hiding something important and, for some reason, Hyunjin was fearful about what she was going to say.

"Okay, listen carefully because I don't if I can explain this again..." Jiwoo advised before starting. "It all started after we got back from the Christmas trip. My parents called me to their house to discuss some things, and so I went over there. I fully expected to argue with them, but this time it was because of their insistence that I would join in in their family business. Of course, I did not want to do I had to argue with my father - some shouting occurred and I left out of anger. Then... Gahyeon came up to me."

"Gahyeon?" Hyunjin repeated. "Isn't she that one friend you've had since you were toddlers? You guys used to live together right?"

"Yeah, that's her." Jiwoo nodded in confirmation. "Gahyeon tells me that I should cooperate with my parents since it could help her. She was trying to get into the SRPC and gather information, and me being her friend and decided to help her. My father had recently invested in the company and was going to have a tour around the building, so Gahyeon suggested that I would join."

"Wait, so got into the building??" Hyunjin exclaimed. She was shocked that anyone could get in so easily, much less one of her friends. But also, Hyunjin was partly frustrated that Jiwoo had not told her this sooner, as it could have aided them greatly.

"Yeah, I did with my parents. Anyway, the building was normal for the most part. There were these weird rooms that the CEO of the SRPC would describe so vaguely, but I tried to look past that. Then...we got to the experiment lab. One of the top scientists, Siyeon I believe her name was, had offered us an opportunity to see one of their experiments in action. Of course, my father agreed and so we entered into this theater-like room. We were looking down into this dome, which was where the experiment would take place. Then...it started. And it was... horrendous. I don't want to go into detail, but seeing a hybrid convulsing and shrieking like that....was something I would never forget. That is what drove me to help Gahyeon, who shared that same disgust."

But why didn't tell us any of this?" Heejin asked, crossing her arms. "We could've really needed this information."

"I know, but Gahyeon told me not to..." Jiwoo tried to explain. "She got into my head that you all were... possibly dangerous. I didn't know you all as well as I knew her, so I trusted Gahyeon's judgment. That reasoning was proven even more plausible when she told me about Sooyoung...and her troubling past..."

"But how would she know that?" Heejin became more suspicious.

"Apparently, Gahyeon knew that Sooyoung was about this cult and was keeping an eye on her. She showed me all these images of her... murdering all these innocent people. The evidence was undeniable, and I was terrified. But what made me become even more paranoid was when... I learned something about one of us..."

Jiwoo turned her focus towards Kahei, who had been quietly listening this entire time. Kahei noticed Jiwoo's gaze and grew concerned.

"What is it?" Kahei asked.

"I found out that... there's a reason why Sooyoung was awkward around you." Jiwoo continued, addressing Kahei. "You once said that you came to South Korea because of a girlfriend who brought you here. You also said once that your parents had also invested in the SRPC too..."

"I....did."

"Well, can you remember that girlfriend?"

"Oh yeah, I..." Kahei's voice trailed off, trying to jog her memory but coming up short. "Actually... I barely remember her now that I think about it. I know I had one but the name and face are difficult to remember..."

"Exactly, because Sooyoung was that girlfriend."

Kahei opened her mouth, about to respond but her voice got stuck in her throat. She was ready to dispute this, flabbergasted at how this could true. But, Kahei realized that she possessed no rebuttal since there was no evidence that disproved Jiwoo's claims. So she, as well as everyone else, stared at Jiwoo with raised eyebrows, expecting her explanation of this.

"You're serious?" Heejin asked, shocked.

"Yeah, I am. Gahyeon showed me not only pictures but explained her intentions. Sooyoung was sent to bring Kahei to South Korea as a means of using her for their plans of getting into the SRPC since her parents had ties. But, things didn't go as planned and after some mishaps, Sooyoung was supposed to kill you but...for some reason, she didn't. They erased your memory of Sooyoung's identity and moved on from as they already spent too much time already. That's why Sooyoung was so remorseful...and why that hybrid attacked you that one time."

Kahei put her hand over her mouth, trying to come to terms with this new information. It made sense, considering their conversation in the kitchen months back. Sooyoung seemed angered, but more at herself than at Kahei and tried to avoid her. While she was still confused, Jiwoo's explanation seemed to be plausible. 

However, Heejin and Hyunjin were both dubious to this.

"Hold up," Hyunjin spoke up. "This makes no sense. Not the explanation, because it could very well be true, but this whole case. You said Gahyeon told you this?"

"Yeah, all of it. Why?" Jiwoo asked, tilting her head.

"Don't you find it even a little strange that Gahyeon knew all of this?" Hyunjin asked. "She knew all of this information but allowed you to date Sooyoung afterward. She could have easily used this information to incriminate her and put her jail but they did not. What was her gain for learning this? How could they get all of those images? How would they know of such a plan?"

Jiwoo thought she knew the answer, but paused when she realized she had none. 

"I don't know..."

"Jiwoo, I think you've just fallen into her trap." Heejin began to raise her voice. "You said that they targeted Kahei for being tied to the SRPC, right? You said that they wanted to get into this company, right? You said they sent someone to get close to Kahei to gain her trust, right?"

"Yes, why?..." 

Heejin looked at Jiwoo dead in the eyes, releases a sigh.

"Isn't that what Gahyeon just did to you?"

Jiwoo's posture became stiff, staring at Heejin while barely blinking. Her mouth slowly dropped open before closing them with a sharp intake of air through her nose. Jiwoo looked at everyone in the room before turning on her heel, facing the door.

"I'll be back." Jiwoo flew open the door, walking out the door and shutting it behind her.

Hyunjin kept her eyes fixed on the door a minute before her lowering her face into her hand, shaking it slightly. When she lifted her head to face Heejin, her hand was on top of her forehead with eyes shifting downwards.

"Well, I think we know how the cult raided that company." Heejin sighed. "This just became a lot more complicated."

"So, what are you going to do now?" Kahei asked with herself and Yeojin looking at Hyunjin expectedly.

"Now?" Hyunjin repeated. She turned to Heejin, who was nodding to her as if she was silently agreeing with what she was about to say. Hyunjin turned back to Kahei and Yeojin, sure of herself.

"We have some confronting we need to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 24! This was heavy, but very much needed. Something to note is that mysterious figure that confronted Chaewon's parents? Who are they? Wait and find out ;) But Jiwoo finally had her eyes opened when Heejin and Hyunjin showed her the warning signs. Sometimes, when you trust someone dearly, you often times look past these red flags and that was the case with Jiwoo. Also, expect angry Jiwoo next chapter, as well as a few more updates that I know will leave you guys stunned!
> 
> Story is almost at its end! Initially, I was planning on 25 chapters, but clearly that won't be the case. Maybe 3 to 4 chapters left, but that is still up in the air. However, it should not be more than 30 chapters in total! That is because the continuation of this book will be coming in less than two months and so I have to work on it! Trust me, the overall plot is far from over!
> 
> Also, in the epilogue of the story, I will include some information on future updates, including some oneshots I'm planning on posting! It will be used as sort of an extension of this story, but less serious and more light-hearted. Maybe a oneshot detailing Jinsoul and Jungeun's wedding, or some cute Kahei and Haseul scenes, or maybe more Chaewon and Hyejoo fluff! I will ask you guys for what you want, but if you want to start requesting, you may! These oneshots will be about 3,000 to 4,000 words long as well!
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	25. 𝒊 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i came to the realization that i never noticed before.  
> all of the warning signs,  
> the red flags,  
> the alarms bells that would ring in your presence.  
> i turned then away for my love for you.  
> but truly, i was a fool  
> i was the pawn in your little game  
> and i now i resent you for that.  
> i thought i understood you but now I realize  
> 𝒊 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: graphic depictions of blood, violence and death are present in this chapter. Please proceed with caution.

Jiwoo stomped down the sidewalk, pushing past the crowds of people. Her face held an outraged expression as rage thrummed through her veins, moving swiftly past every store with one destination in mind.

She had never felt this infuriated in years. Jiwoo was not the type to let her rage consume her, often trying to be more reasonable and avoid conflict. Even if someone were to annoy her, she tried her best to keep this frustration to herself. But this situation was much different. Jiwoo had trusted Gahyeon for years with no doubt. She was the closest to Chaewon, however, Gahyeon was someone she saw as more as an older sister, despite them being the same age. She told Gahyeon everything, even her most sensitive secrets. Gahyeon even helped her through her breakup and taught her how to trust people again. Just like Chaewon, Jiwoo grew up with her and she thought that their bond was meaningful to them both.

But now, Jiwoo felt like this relationship was all for nothing. Gahyeon never saw her as a close friend, but a pawn in her sick game. Never in her twenty years of knowing her would Jiwoo ever thought she was capable of doing this, but here she was. Jiwoo felt stupid for not noticing the signs sooner, especially when Heejin and Hyunjin were able to point them out sooner. The red flags were right in front of her eyes, but her reliance on Gahyeon blinded her from them. 

But now, Jiwoo was done with being manipulated.

As Jiwoo approached the park, she could see Gahyeon in the distance, sitting on the bench with the phone in hand. Her nonchalant demeanor only made Jiwoo's blood boil more, quickening her saunter with clenched fists.

"Gahyeon!" Jiwoo called out as she approached her. 

"Jiwoo!" Gahyeon sang, acting oblivious. "Good to see you. How come you're so late?"

"I had a talk with some people." Jiwoo glared at her before saying sarcastically: "So sorry for coming too late for you to exploit me again."

"What are you talking about, sweetheart?" Gahyeon rolled her eyes, grinning. "Who's gotten that lie into your pretty little head?"

"Don't try to patronize me. I know what you've been doing for the past few months so stop trying to avoid it."

"Oh, honey..." Gahyeon snickered lowly, standing from the bench. She took one step closer to Jiwoo, eyes fixed and smirk growing. This causes Jiwoo to step back as they became inches apart.

"We're in public," Jiwoo commented, attempting for it to sound like a threat. "If you try to hurt or kidnap me, someone will see you."

"I'm trying to do anything, love," Gahyeon affirmed, slyness in her voice. "If I wanted to hurt you or kidnap you like with Yerim, I could have done it years ago. But, I don't hurt the people I love."

"You don't love me though!" Jiwoo retorted, baffled, and starting to raise her voice. "If you loved me, you wouldn't try to use me for your inhumane plans! You also wouldn't lie to me for years and emotionally manipulate me constantly! You also wouldn't hurt my friends!!"

"I do love you, Jiwoo. I am trying to protect you."

"Oh, are you? So your version of protection is to make me your cult's puppet? The same cult who had murdered humans all over the world? Is that really protecting me?"

"You say that we have killed your kind..." Gahyeon began, her amused face becoming serious. "I find that very hypocritical coming from a human."

"I know that humans and hybrids don't get along very well and we have a rough past" Jiwoo sighed, understanding what Gahyeon was hinting at. "But seeking revenge isn't going to solve anything! That's only going to make the tension worse! I want both of our kinds to have a healthier relationship between us since we are more than capable of talking it out instead of fighting. But if you go through with whatever you're planning, it will set us back hundreds of years!"

"We've waited long enough." Gahyeon's gaze hardened. "We have waited ever since the war for progress. But, we can only wait so long. The war ended because you humans decided to take advantage of a power that did not belong to you and killed off a race you had a vendetta against. There was only one left, a woman who had the potential of saving our civilization, but you humans almost killed her off too. And still, you all treat us like the criminals."

"But that was so long ago-"

"Oh really? Have you been to any dragon dimensions? Just a year ago, the frost dragon dimension was attacked by a group of humans and was robbed of all they owned. A frost hybrid was murdered that day, while dozens were injured. That's the same place your dear friend Haseul lived in. On the topic of people you're close to, have you asked Sooyoung about where she came from? Her dimension is more corrupt than you could ever imagine. Poverty, lack of leadership, violence - it can barely even be considered a home. Most death hybrids leave there once they turn eighteen since staying any longer could prove almost fatal. Everyone, there is selfish and would murder anyone to get what they want. But you want to know why that place is so demented? You, humans, were targeting that place for years, raiding them and causing conflicts just for fun. That's why humans are imprisoned or even killed for going there, because they had a deal with your kind for centuries. Every single dimension had been robbed and raided, some more than others, and all have suffered because of it."

"I'm... I'm sorry..." Jiwoo frowned. "I never knew that... I just thought..."

"You thought that we were stubborn to let go of a traumatic past your kind created and we're blindly raging with no basis? Yeah, all humans are like that. You're not the first."

"I understand your anger but I can't allow you to hurt any of my friends or anyone else again! Please... I just want to help everyone, including you. There are other options."

"There are no other options. We already have a plan in place that will be completed in a mere five days. There is nothing that can stop it, nothing you, your girlfriend, or any of your friends can do will hinder its completion. We will put you humans in your place, and that's final. I thought you would be more reasonable, seeing that you are the only human friend I trust, but now I see you are just like every other human. I can no longer protect you. You are on your own."

Gahyeon put the phone in her pocket as she stepped away from Jiwoo. She swiftly turned around, back facing Jiwoo as she was about to walk away.

"You've made your choice. Now you pay the price. Good day."

Gahyeon began to walk away, hands in her pockets and posture insouciant. But Jiwoo was not ready to end the conversation, exasperation still clouding her better judgment. She gripped on to Gahyeon's shoulder, holding her from walking away. 

"I'm not about to let you get away with this." Jiwoo warned, voice cracking from the overflow of emotions. "I will tell the police what you've done. You robbed the SRPC, as well as abducting and murdering innocent people, and I bet you'd be locked up for that."

"Really now? How brave of you." Gahyeon commented, Jiwoo hearing the sarcasm in her voice. "I wonder who gave you this confidence. Just a few days ago, you were a naive girl who fell for everything I told you. Now just because of Heejin and Hyunjin pointing out the obvious about me, you know think you have the capability of intimidating me. That's cute."

"Wait, how did you know-" Jiwoo paused. She never told Gahyeon the names of who she had told, only calling them "friends". 

"Oh, sweet cheeks, when will you ever learn..." 

Gahyeon took hold of Jiwoo's hand that gripped on to her shoulder, gripping firmly on the wrist as to keep Jiwoo from moving away. She then turned around, still clutching Jiwoo's wrist, and pulled Jiwoo into her, faces inches away from each other. 

"I don't you understood this the first time so I'll give you a refresher..." Gahyeon whispered in a deep voice before leaning close to Jiwoo's ear. "I know everything, honey. I see everything. I hear everything. I even know your next move long before you even commit it. And furthermore, I have information on everyone that I'm sure you all would dread having it be known to the public. All of your dirty secrets and white lies, I know them all. So in case, you have gotten the hint..."

Gahyeon began to twist Jiwoo's wrist, causing Jiwoo to cry out in pain.

"Ah! Please!" Jiwoo exclaimed, cringing. Gahyeon did not comply with Jiwoo's pleas but instead held her clasp on the twisting wrist even tighter.

"I'm just going to let you know that if you tell the police or your father, that will be the biggest mistake of your life. If you try to bring me down, you, Sooyoung, Haseul, and every one of your pathetic friends will come down with us. I have facts on every single one of you, ones that I'm sure you be a travesty if the wrong people were to know about it, with solid evidence to support them. Sooyoung would be executed for her crimes..... You would be arrested for being an accomplice in the robbery... Haseul will face the same punishment as the rest of the cult... And then there's the rest of you...."

Gahyeon snickered as she leaned into the ear even closer.

"I think you would be surprised what I can do."

Gahyeon let go of the wrist as she shoved Jiwoo, causing her to fall to the concrete ground. Jiwoo leaned forward, stroking her aching wrist while looking up at Gahyeon with fear in her eyes. Gahyeon looked down at her, eyes darkened with a red hue, sniggering with a smirk present on her lips.

"It's your choice, love." Gahyeon turned on her heel, facing the opposite direction. "It's quite a shame... All you had to do was stay obedient and trust me. Now you're just as much as a target as all of your friends. But I guess that was too hard for you. What a pity."

And with being said, Gahyeon casually walked away as if nothing happened. Jiwoo sat there on the sidewalk for a few seconds, her heart palpitations were pulsating in her ears as the extremity of the situation just struck her. When she finally broke out of her daze, Jiwoo quickly stood up as she noticed some passerbys looking at her funny. She brushed off her clothes and fixed her clothes, making it look like nothing just occurred. 

But mentally, Jiwoo could not shake off any word that had been said to her. She never could have foreseen that Gahyeon would have been behind any of these crimes. But, maybe it was due to her obliviousness that the alarm bells were overlooked. But now that she realized them, it was too late. And like Gahyeon said, Jiwoo had to face the consequences for her naive actions. 

"Five days." Jiwoo murmured to herself, repeating the two words over and over again. Five days until whatever Gahyeon was preparing would be at its final phase. Five days until life as they knew it would be could be changed forever, if they could not do anything to obstruct her stratagem. Maybe now that she knew of who she was working against, Jiwoo was certain that she would not get fooled again. 

But before she should do anything else, Jiwoo had someone she had to apologize too.

***

"So that's what's been happening..." Jinsoul awed, setting down the journal in her hand on to the kitchen counter while speaking on the phone with Hyunjin. 

*"Yeah, surprisingly. Jiwoo had been working for them this entire time - who would've known?"*

"But it wasn't intentional?"

*"No. Jiwoo seemed very shocked when she realized. But she couldn't have known either. Her and Gahyeon had been friends for years, just as long as with Chaewon. When you trust someone for that long, you do tend to overlook things even if they're obvious."*

Jinsoul did understand how that would be plausible. She would have been to catch on those red flags if they were done by, for example, Jungeun, Heejin, or Hyejoo. Knowing people for years causes you to not be so wary of them, no matter how strange they may act. Unfortunately, this was probably the worst scenario for this concept to be applied to.

"Well then, at least she didn't use her for something worse, like getting to Chaewon. I'm glad Jiwoo opened up to you guys otherwise this incident would have continued. But, now we have to be quick. There are five days left, right?"

*"You're correct."*

"Then we have to plan. I think the best course of action is to hide, at least temporarily. As much as I would love to fight back, there are too many things working against us. If Jiwoo was easily tricked like that, then we very well could be too. Plus, now that the whole cult is tracking us, it's far too dangerous to stay in this city."

*"That's what Heejin and I were discussing earlier. But before we can do that, we need to make sure that nobody is going to follow us. Right now, Gahyeon has some way of listening to our conversations and we don't know-how. If we can't figure out how they're doing that, then our efforts will be futile."*

"Exactly. So, try to figure it out and get rid of it. There has to be an object you always have with you all the time, something that could be recording our conversations. Think about it."

*"Heejin suggested it was my phone, but I am not so sure... Maybe."*

"Well let's test it out," Jinsoul advised, leaning against the counter. "Try having a conversation where your phone isn't in the room. Something that would be considered information or incriminating information. Maybe even a location they could meet you in. Something that could cause an uproar."

*"That's a good idea. I'll try going to a location, discuss it with Heejin, and see if they go there. I'll make sure to bring Heejin with me, in case anything happens."*

"Great. And I'll start thinking of a place we could go to hide. Now in the meantime..." Jinsoul heard some people wailing from the living room, causing her to sigh. "... I have something to deal with first..."

*"Alright, see you later today. We'll come over to Chaewon's apartment at around five in the evening."*

"See you then," Jinsoul said before ending the phone call, shoving the phone into her pocket. She returned her focus back to the journal that she had been reading. The journal was Haeun's diary, the one she picked up a month ago when they went to Hyejoo's home. Jinsoul has been reading it ever since, looking for clues that would assist them. For the most part, the journal did not reveal any crucial details and mostly included random stories for Haeun's life. Jinsoul was now at the diary entry when Haeun was eighteen years old and was discussing her birthday celebration with Mi-Sun. So far, it did not reveal much, but Jinsoul had to admit that the story was adorable. They seemed to be very much in love with one another, which made it even more upsetting that they did not last. 

Before going to the living room, Jinsoul took one last look at the page. She read over a few more sentences, trying to finish the entry. But right when she finished and was about to close the diary, something strange began to happen with the page. Jinsoul watched as the words on the page began to contort, shifting and curling all over the page, seemingly trying to make a picture. The words finally finished warping after a minute, revealing the outline of a familiar creature. It was a butterfly with detailed wings that filled up the page. The words gradually changed colors from black to rainbow, a gradient from fuscia pink to violet purple. Jinsoul could not believe it the moment she saw it, blinking several times to make sure it was not an illusion. But clearly, it was real.

"Honey!" Jinsoul heard Jungeun shout, causing her to look up from the page. 

"Coming!" Jinsoul took one last look at the art before closing the diary, setting it back on the counter. She would have to look back into it later. Jinsoul headed to the living room, sitting on the couch next to Jungeun. When she had stepped away initially, Chaewon and Hyejoo had been crying nonstop while holding each other close. Now, it had been reduced to sniffling, calm enough to engage in conversation with them.

"But how were you guys able to transport there?" Jungeun had asked as Jinsoul sat down. "Did you guys dream it all or...?"

"I still have no idea," Hyejoo responded. "We woke up as normal, but then when we both transformed, everything just started to change. Next thing you know, we're in that valley and then...you know what happened next."

"Well, then we have several questions." Jinsoul began, understanding what they were conversing about. "For starters, when did the dream start? Did it start in the valley or before then? Also, how could you both see this dream? Because I don't think it's possible to share the same lucid dream."

"Well, there are a lot of things that we thought was impossible but was proved wrong," Jungeun commented. "Everything about hybrids is filled with mystery and these past few months have proven that. We still don't fully understand what a lumena is or what they're capable of, so we have to be open-minded."

"You're right. We still have a lot we need to learn and discover. But the unfortunate fact is that we don't have enough time to figure it out. The cult is still after Chaewon and likely will still be for years to come. Anyone who is connected with Chaewon will be targeted, whether have a direct association with her or not. We are frail compared to a cult of hundreds so no matter what we do, we are fated to fail. We... can't win right now."

"You're not saying we have to give up, are you?" Hyejoo asked, sounding flabbergasted. "Because if we aren't going to fight them, then who will? We are the only ones who get the answers. And if we don't intervene now, this crisis will only get worse from here. We can't hide forever."

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that for right now anyway, we need to buy for time. Five days isn't enough, there's no debate about that. But, maybe we can stall in some way. Chaewon is necessary for their plan to be completed so there's a start."

"So...what you're saying is..."

"We need to lie low for a while," Jinsoul exclaimed. "We have to hide Chaewon somewhere that no one can find her. Someplace we have never been before. We also have to bring anyone that could possibly be used as an incentive to get us to surrender. This includes every person who knows about this situation as well."

"If we are going to do that then we have to go rescue Yerim and Haseul first," Jungeun instructed, agreeing with her wife. "That won't be easy, however. We can't just walk in and grab them."

"That's the strenuous part. But, if we plan carefully, it is possible. Sooyoung knows the cult inside and out so that's a huge advantage. Besides, once we nab them, then we can leave immediately afterward. Because, look at it this way - if we can knock Chaewon out of their equation, then they won't be able to succeed. We're not giving up, just changing our strategy from a direct approach."

"That's what we're hoping for..." Hyejoo sighed. "But I agree with you. We have literally no choice."

"Okay, then I guess it's settled." Jungeun nodded, leaning back on the couch. "Jinsoul and I will think of a place we can hide out. Then we'll discuss with Sooyoung, Heejin, and Hyunjin on how we can get Yerim and Haseul back."

"In the meantime, Chaewon?" Jinsoul turned to the blonde, who had a nervous look on her face. "We need you to view the fourth vision. It may give us any clues we may have missed. As for the fifth vision....we might have to hold off until our plan is followed through."

"O-Okay..." Chaewon stuttered with a nod. Hyejoo seemed to notice Chaewon's trepidation and slid her own hand into her girlfriend's, holding it tightly. 

"We'll be okay..." Hyejoo reassured, gazing at Chaewon warmly. "Just because we're going to hide out, it doesn't mean this fight is over. We just need to discover more about you, Haeun, and any other vital information from the past. We're just too inexperienced right now."

"I get it," Chaewon said, looking at everyone with a small smile. "Whatever you think is best, I'm okay with it. I just wished we didn't have to keep dragging this out..."

"You and me both..."

"Don't worry, Chaewon." Jungeun took hold of Chaewon's other hand loosely, smiling. "Just stick by us and you'll be fine. This won't last forever, I promise."

Jinsoul watched the scene with fond eyes, much like a mother watching over her child. Sometimes, Jinsoul often thought about how she got so lucky with the people she has met. When she was a young child, she often never relied upon people and would choose to solve her problems on her own. Over a decade later, that ideology was not something she would ever think of. Even though her wife and friends were oftentimes the ones who got her into trouble, they also got her out of it, especially when she was too stubborn to ask for help. If this was teenager Jinsoul, she would have probably left everyone else except for her closest friends behind. But now that she was in her mid-twenties, Jinsoul could never see herself doing that. She blamed her wife and friends for that, but in an appreciative way.

"Alright well," Jinsoul cleared her throat, interjecting the sincere moment. "We have no time to waste. Chaewon, let's get you set up for the vision."

Everyone nodded and Jinsoul stood up from the couch, going to the bedroom to pick up the cloth Chaewon's parents gave them. She can back with the cloth folded neatly inside a Ziploc bag.

"Alright, are you ready?" 

"Ready as I'll ever be." Chaewon asserted, trying to sound doubtless. Jinsoul took the cloth out of the bag and unfolded it. Before handing it to Chaewon, she said one last phrase of encouragement:

"Good luck." 

Jinsoul and Chaewon shared a smile just as Chaewon held the cloth in her hands. While Jinsoul's eyes held its gaze on Chaewon's face, she could gradually see her facial expression become neutral as the smile slowly faded. There was a white coat that covered Chaewon's eyes. And just like that, she was no longer a part of reality.

"Welp, waiting time!" Jungeun announced, brightening the mood. She leaned back until she was laying flat on her back across the couch.

"Hey, Jinsoul?" Hyejoo called her attention, making Jinsoul shift her gaze to her.

"Yeah?"

"Do you honestly think we can do this?" 

Jinsoul was about to respond but her words got stuck in her throat. Truthfully, she was not sure if they would even have a shred of a chance to succeed. They were young and unversed in the larger picture of the world around them or its history. But Jinsoul held on to the notion that they could be triumphant if they still stayed focused on their ongoing journey. But only that would be probable with time. Clearly, someone out there wants them to succeed, considering all the help they have received so far. And in the back of Jinsoul's mind, she knew they could not let whoever they are down. For that particular person's sake, all of the dimensions' sakes, and for the twelve of them.

"We can." Jinsoul nodded firmly, having finally found her answer. "As long as we stand by each other, we will. And you can bet me on that."

***

Chaewon felt an agonizing pain sweep over her body. She felt as though she had been slammed into a wall, with her back experiencing the most pain. Chaewon's vision was still blurry, but she had full control of her other senses. 

The scent of smoke whisked past her nose, as well as the smell of something burning. As her ears stopped ringing, she could hear the sounds of shrieking and weeping, in addition to the sound of faint crackling creating background noise. Chaewon could feel that she was on solid ground, and as she caressed it she could feel dust gathering in her palms with rocks scratching against them. Finally, the blurriness in her vision dissipated and she could take a gander at her surroundings. 

But what she saw was something that left her utterly speechless.

Chaewon was not in a location similar to the castle or forest or gardens but in a large field. The field was covered in dirt and sand, with rocks giving it texture. Scattered all over the landscape was a variety of materials including wood, weaponry, torn flags, and more items that were too spread out for her to distinguish. But what really left Chaewon feeling sick to her stomach was the number of bodies that laid lifeless on the terrain. All of them were stained in blood, some more than others. In a few of the bodies, there was a large spear that pierced through their chests. There were arrows penetrated their torsos, causing blood to spill out from the sounds. All their eyes were rolled back into their heads with their mouths wide open from the initial shock. It was very clear to Chaewon that there was no life here. 

The smoke that Chaewon smelt earlier came from the fire that was sprinkled all over the landscape. The smoke was so vast that it caused the sky to be overcast with ominous grey clouds. By how spread out the flames was and how far the bodies were scattered, it seemed that there had been a large battle that has taken place. 

*"Oh no!! Mi-Sun, look!!"*

Chaewon jerked her head towards the sound of a woman exclaiming, seeing two people appear in the distance. They paused as they witnessed the same scene, hands going over their mouths and bodies stiffening. As they came more into Chaewon's view, she could the faces of Haeun and Mi-Sun with tears shedding from their eyes. 

*"How could something of this magnitude even occur?"* Mi-Sun spoke up after several minutes, shock in her voice. 

*"The fault is all mine."* Haeun said through her covered mouth, kneeling down in front of one of the bodies with a spear in the chest. She ran her trembling fingers along with the stick of the spear, from its end to the part that pierced through the body. 

*"I should have just listened to father. Then, this horrific disaster would have never taken place. I am to blame."*

*"Nonsense, Haeun."* Mi-Sun insisted, crouching down and giving Haeun a side hug. "This sudden course of events was not a result of your actions, but rather the actions of the barbarous and reckless. You simply cannot blame yourself for the inundation of tension that had been harbored for centuries. That is ludicrous."

*"Mi-Sun, you fail to understand. My insistence to disobey my father was the cause of the tension overflow. My selfishness has resulted in the death of millions! You have gandered at the millions of bodies that laid lifeless as we traversed to this valley! The deceased lost their lives unjustifiably, in a war that can never be undone, and it is all my fault!"*

*" While I do not agree with that claim, we must not dwell on the past, for it can never be retracted. We must keep on our journey before the hunters get ahold of you."*

*"Before we leave I must... I must see my parents. I must be certain that they have survived."*

Haeun stood from the ground and began to run at high speeds, heading towards the direction of this tall hill. Mi-Sun followed suit, catching up to her girlfriend in no time. After this, Chaewon quickly got to her feet and ran after them both, trying to not let them get out of sight. She sprinted up the sandy hill, moving carefully so she would not slip. Chaewon eventually made it to the top of the hill, panting heavily with her hands on her knees. She wondered why Haeun and Mi-sun had stopped running, looking up to see their stunned faces gazing off into the distance. Chaewon stood up straight and faced the same direction. 

There stood the remains of a large structure, pieces of what it once was dispersed over the plane. Everything was burnt, with blaze spreading out for miles. Ashes littered over the rubble and stone, staining the landscape in black and smothering the fully crumbled castle until the point where it was unrecognizable. The bodies of the guards laid against the rubble and were burning alongside it, motionless. Chaewon could no longer see the garden or the forest that the previous visions had taken place, it being destroyed and scorched along with the castle. None of what Chaewon had seen was present. 

*"No!!"* Haeun exclaimed before running down the hill, almost tripping from the incline, with Mi-Sun close behind. Chaewon was quicker to react this time, following them both towards the burning debris. 

Haeun did not take time to address the deceased guards or the blazing fire, looking frantically for two people in particular. She, with the help of Mi-Sun, pushed the large stones around and off of bodies. The longer they kept looking, the more frustrated and terrified Haeun begun, beginning to throw the stones with much force that it would break on impact against the ground. Chaewon could hear Haeun mumbling prayers, breathing excessively, and tears staining the jagged ground. Eventually, all of her movements stopped she turned over a particularly large stone, fire engulfing her. Haeun ignored the threatening flames as her eyes fixed on what was underneath that rock.

Chaewon walked through the fire to see what Haeun and Mi-Sun were staring at, and as she finally got close enough, she became frozen in place.

There were the bodies of Haeun's mother and father, slain and inanimated. Their skin was burnt to black with the darkened flesh was peeling off. Haeun's mother had glass splintering her body and face, blood drizzling out, as well as broken arrows piercing her stomach. She had a horrified face, eyes wide open and mouth gaped. Meanwhile, Haeun's father had an unreadable expression, with his eyes completely shut. Gazing at the body made Chaewon feel nauseated - blood and guts spilling out of open wounds and soaking his tunic. 

Chaewon, not being able to bear looking at the gory scene, turned to Haeun. She watched as her body was trembling as she held back her tears that threatened to fall. But ultimately, Haeun could no longer hold back her grief, resulting in her releasing a gut-wrenching shriek that echoed through the crackling of the fire. She fell to her knees, wailing uncontrollably and tears flooding out of her eyes at excess. Her fist was repeated punching the ground, causing the fists to redden and become scarred. Soon after her knuckles became bloody, Haeun threw herself onto the chest of her mother, crying profusely and tears smearing her mother's garment. Mi-Sun stood there, visibly torn between comforting her hysterical girlfriend and leaving her be, while tears dripped down her cheeks. Chaewon wished she could comfort Haeun, but realized that is simply impossible. Even though this was a memory of the past, just like in that burning house, everything felt too real to distinguish vision from reality. 

*"I am sorry... I am so so sorry..."* Haeun whispered repeatedly into the chest of her mother, in between sobs. Lifting her face, the princess had blood stained her face and forearms, but did not care in the slightest. Haeun turned her head towards the broken arrows that protruded her mother's torso and pulled one of them out, leading to blood squirting from the now open wound, landing on Haeun's own chest and clothes. She ran her finger along the blade, slitting her flesh and causing more blood to drip onto her clothing. Haeun only stopped when she noticed something attached to the arrow. Pulling it out of the arrow, it was a small green cloth that has singed along its sides. Chaewon quickly realized that it was the same cloth that her parents had given her. Haeun stared at it for a minute, long enough for her slit finger caused blood to stain the cloth, eyes squinting. She looked as though she recognized this material as hostility was riddled all over her face.

*"This..."* Haeun held up the cloth towards the cloudy skies. *"This is the cause of my suffering. These bastards have taken my home and the dear people I hold close to heart away from me. These monstrosities...have destroyed everything I love..."*

*"My dear, I... "* Mi-Sun became silent. Usually, she always seemed to have a word to say, but now she was completely speechless. 

Chaewon broke her focus on the scene as she heard footsteps coming in the distance. Haeun seemed to have noticed as well, clutching the sword holster that has at her side. It was only then that Chaewon noticed this sword, it is the same sword that both Sana gave them for the third vision but also the same one Haeun had packed. Mi-Sun was on high alert, searching around for the owner of the ominous footsteps. 

*"Watch out!!"* Haeun screamed as she jumped to her feet, running towards her girlfriend. Mi-Sun immediately jerked out of the way, neatly getting struck by a person that was behind her who had a knife in their hands. Acting on impulse, Haeun took off her sword from the holster and leveled it above her before swinging it downwards. The sword immediately penetrated the chest of the person, all the way through it until Chaewon could see the blade coming out of that person's back. As Haeun pulled out the sword, the person fell to the ground, the body becoming limp and unresponsive. Even though the human appeared dead, Haeun was not done with them yet as her sword continued to be brought into the chest and torso of the person. Repeatedly, she penetrated the sword through every part of the body, blood spilling out at excess, which stained both her own clothes and the corpse. The red liquid dripped down the blade, causing more of it to splatter on impact.

*"You! Took! Every-! Thing! Away! From! Me!!!"* Haeun pronounced each syllable as her sword met the person's battered up body, tears shedding from her eyes once more. She would repeat this same phrase for an entire minute. Haeun would not stop attacking this individual until Mi-Sun had forcibly pulled the sword out of her hands, causing her own clothes to become stained with the red liquid. Eventually, Mi-Sun was successful, yanking it out of her hands and throwing it to the side. Haeun appeared raged by this as she tried to push past her girlfriend to pick up the sword. However, Mi-Sun stood in her way, hugging her close as Haeun tried to shove her away. Haeun was persistent but refused to even hit Mi-Sun, even while she was in her grief-induced outburst.

Eventually, all frantic movements ceased as Haeun stopped trying to push past her. Instead, her legs began to give way and she would have almost fallen if Mi-Sun's arms were not around her waist. The sobbing continued from then onwards, with her screaming out pleas in between. It was such a heart-wrenching scene that Chaewon could hold back her own tears any longer. It was the second time Chaewon found herself crying within a few hours, her being more emotionally vulnerable from the first time, and she could not control it in any way. 

She was crying so much that she could barely notice herself slowly slipping away, her surroundings fading away, or the blackness that went over her eyes.

***

"Chaewon!!" 

"Fuck, is she okay??"

"Chaewon, sweetie, can you hear me?!"

Chaewon let a loud gasp as she was forced back into reality. Immediately as her vision returned to her, she saw the faces of Jinsoul, Jungeun, and Hyejoo staring at her with fearful and concerned looks. Hyejoo took hold of her face, cupping it as she seemed to wipe away tears that Chaewon did not initially know she had. 

"What happened??" Hyejoo asked, immense worry present in her tone. "You were crying...and screaming...and shaking... I thought something had gone wrong!!"

Chaewon stared at her, her memory of the visions flooding back into her head as she conjured up a response. But before she could, tears trickled from her eyes and mouth let out a trembling sigh. Jinsoul and Jungeun turned to each other and then back at Chaewon, fearing for the worst. But Chaewon eventually opened her mouth as the lump in her throat dissipated.

"It... It is a long story..."

***

Hyunjin knocked on the door of a familiar apartment before patiently waiting for a response. Heejin stood by her side, carrying the briefcase that Hyunjin had been going through earlier. 

"Are you sure this will give us more answers?" Heejin asked as they waited. "Sooyoung already told us that she didn't know much about the operation of that cult. I don't think she could give us much information to go off of."

"I'm certain," Hyunjin responded, sounding confident. "I already have the questions I need to ask and that I'm sure Sooyoung should know the answer to. Besides, she is our only way of actually getting an insiders' look at the inner workings of the cult. If we know them from the inside, that we can understand their methodology. In other words, we can have a better idea of how we can stop them, or at least get Yerim and Haseul back."

"Well, it's worth a shot." 

Finally, the door to the apartment finally opened and Sooyoung stood on the other side of the doorway, tilting her head in confusion.

"Hyunjin? Heejin?" Sooyoung looked between the two of them. "What are you doing here?"

"We have a few questions that need answering." Hyunjin began to summarize. "And I was hoping you could help us out. It's about the cult and your experience."

"Well, I'll try my best..." Sooyoung sighed, moving out of the way for Heejin and Hyunjin to walk into the apartment. Closing and locking the door behind them, Sooyoung guided them to the couches, allowing them a place to sit. Heejin and Hyunjin sat on the same couch and across from Sooyoung's seat.

Before Hyunjin asked any questions, she noticed the redness and puffiness around Sooyoung's eyes. By the looks of it, it appeared like she had been crying for a long time and had only stopped minutes before they arrived.

"Sooyoung?" Hyunjin spoke up. "Have you been crying?"

"Oh, this..." Sooyoung nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry about it. Jiwoo and I had a fight and some...harsh words were said. But, it's okay. I deserved it anyway."

Hyunjin was never the type to be nosy, especially when the other person appears to be trying to not think about what was troubling them. She decided to leave any pending questions about the situation for later before they were about to leave. Besides, it would explain why Jiwoo had come over to her apartment in the same disheveled state.

"Alright, let's start with the questions." Hyunjin cleared her throat. "I need to ask this first before we can begin any others. I have to know... Sooyoung..."

Hyunjin let out a troubled sigh.

"Did you... consciously kill those people?"

Sooyoung did not take any time to ponder that question as her response was quite clear.

"No," Sooyoung replied. "At least, not in the later years."

"So, there were a few you murdered willingly?" Heejin asked. "How many are we talking here? Like two or three?"

"Well, about ten, maybe even a little more." Sooyoung clarified. "I was about seventeen at the time. One of the cult leaders there that I trusted the most, her name was Bora, had taken me to this house. Inside, there were hybrids being held hostage by a group of hunters. She brought me, along with a few other cult members, to come and rescue them. It was my first mission so I was pretty inexperienced but I was eager. I looked up to Bora as a sister since was always the nicest and the most level-headed of all the leaders. So, I would follow her instructions without any second thoughts. We had entered the house and a huge fight took place. I will spare you guys the details, but in the end, we were victorious. In the altercation, I had to kill a few humans who were guarding the innocent hybrids in the cage. It was my first time ever having killed anyone with my bare hands and I felt...like a strange power took over me. So much so that I had no problem killing the rest of the human guards off. After that, I helped out in a few additional rescue missions, with myself only killing about one or two humans for each."

"So, it was not out of anger or without reason?"

"No, none of them were. I was just trying to save hybrids, but those human lives had to pay for it."

"But, how did that all change?" Hyunjin asked.

"When they started to force me. They stopped just trying to target criminals but began to target innocent humans as well. I never wanted to do so, since I found it wouldn't solve anything. But then they would give me this drug, I'm not sure what it was, and would force me to take it. It was in the form of a flower that I would be tied down and was instructed to smell. All cult members were directed to do so, as both an initiation and as a way to show loyalty to the cult. And that would cause me as well as anyone else who took it to become...insane. I would blackout a minute after taking this drug and the next thing I knew I was sitting in a pool of blood with a lifeless body lying next to me. Every time, I was forced to...kill innocent lives, most of them undeserved.... And there was nothing I could do stop it.... I couldn't leave because Gahyeon...my boss, she would keep records of these murders and would threaten me with it constantly.... That's why I never left because I knew she could get in prison or even executed for these, even though I could never control my actions...."

"Wait a minute-" Hyunjin interjected. "You said...flower, right? What did it look like?"

"It was a rose if I remember correctly. Bright red, long stem. I think I heard Gahyeon refer to it as a "Wild" - something - "flower", I don't know..."

Hyunjin turned to Heejin, looking to see if she was on the same page as her. Heejin also looked at her, surprise and realization seemingly hitting her. 

"Oh..." Heejin let out before sighing. Hyunjin reached into her pocket and pulled out two face masks, handing them both to Heejin and Sooyoung. 

"Wear this," Hyunjin instructed. Sooyoung looked confusedly but followed her demands. Hyunjin waited until they both had the masks on before opening the briefcase, reaching inside for something. Eventually, she pulled out a red rose, holding it out in front of Sooyoung with an outstretched arm.

"Is this the flower you were referring to?" 

"I- Yes! But, how did you get that?" Sooyoung asked, her voice muffled through the mask.

"Not important right now," Hyunjin replied sternly as she became more serious. "What is important is that...now this just made a whole lot of sense. And now, I have an idea. You said almost all of the cult members take this?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Great."

"Wait, hold up! How is this going to help us?" Heejin asked. "I mean, cool that we know and all, but how is this going to help us rescue Yerim and Haseul?"

"Well, Heejin..."

Hyunjin lifted a second flower with her other hand, one with a royal blue color.

"It helps us out way more than you think."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 25! A lot went down this chapter, probably more than any other so far! Jiwoo finally stood her ground and got out mostly unscathed. However, it would prove to be a huge mistake for the future. You guys finally saw the fourth vision, and while it was heart-breaking, it revealed a bit more history about the war and its aftermath. A mysterious ending that you guys will have to wait and see soon! ;)
> 
> I hope you guys picked up on that diary scene with Jinsoul because that is a lead in for part 2 of this story! A small hint for things to come! Speaking of part 2, this story only has a few chapters left! But don't worry, part 2 is coming in less than two months, with a sprinkle of one-shots in between the hiatus! If you really love fantasy, world building, and adventures, part 2 will definitely be your cup of tea!
> 
> Also, thank you for 110 kudos! I love you so much!! 
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	26. 𝒊 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i messed up several times in the past.  
> and no matter what i do, i keep messing up.  
> and no matter how long it's been, it also comes back to haunt me.  
> i take full responsibility for all my faults  
> as the pain i feel is unbearable.  
> but what hurt me more than anything else  
> is the pain i caused you.  
> because of my careless actions,  
> 𝒊 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"Haseul..."

"Yes?..."

"I can't sleep..."

Yerim could hear Haseul releasing a short sigh before chuckling. It was not the first time that night Yerim had called out to her when they were supposed to be sleeping, so at this point, Haseul simply accepted her fate. 

It had been over twenty hours since they had relocated into a new cell. However, they had yet to see what the new location looked like, with the blindfold still obstructing their vision. The only difference that Yerim could distinguish was that the ground she was sitting on was no longer cold and solid, but jagged and dusty. It felt they were in an outdoor location, but Yerim could not tell where. Every now and then, a hybrid would come in and check on them but for the most part, it was just Yerim and Haseul occupying the small space.

For Haseul, most of her time was spent sleeping, trying to remain the calm one in this situation. But for Yerim, she gradually found it more difficult to fall asleep. Maybe it was the fear of not knowing what her future held, whether it would remain at this state, get better, or even worse. Haseul was the only person keeping her sane, engaging in conversations until she would either fall asleep or would stop worrying. Even if it was only temporary, Yerim fully appreciated Haseul's ability to tolerate and reassure her.

"What is keeping you from sleeping, Yerim?"

"I had a nightmare... And it scared me awake..."

"What was this nightmare about?"

"I had a dream that... I was all alone. That everyone had died and I was the only one left on Earth... I guess I'm just worried about how this will all turn out...."

"I understand how you feel. Sometimes, I wonder how this will all end. It is all up in the air currently."

"But how are we going to stop this? It seems hopeless... We're locked up, Jiwoo is being used by them, Chaewon is in danger... There's twelve of us and hundreds of them..."

"I am...not sure. They are too strong against us, that is true. But this is less like a game of strength but more similar to a game of wits, knowledge, and strategy."

"And are we smart enough to take them down?"

"Of course. I believe we do. But there is still a lot to learn before we have more of an advantage."

"So...we won't fail?"

This time, Haseul was not as quick to answer. The question lingered in the air for a bit before Yerim could hear a long sigh.

"I cannot predict that. But, if Jinsoul, Hyunjin, and the others play this game cleverly, then I have no reason to doubt."

"Okay... But, speaking of them, do you think we'll ever get out of here?"

"You may." Another pause. "But, I may not."

"Why?"

"I...do not deserve freedom. Unlike you who was kidnapped due to small misstep, I am being held for much more heinous crimes. I am simply serving the punishment that I justifiably earned."

"I don't believe that! You don't seem like you would do anything wrong! You probably made a mistake just like me! You seem so nice and level-headed that I just can't-"

"Yerim. While I appreciate the compliments, I cannot expect that as fact. The truth is that you do not know me or my past, no one does. Not even Jungeun knows the full story. I cannot bring myself to tell you all, not yet anyway. So please do not try to downplay my crimes. I do not deserve your sympathy."

Yerim could not believe that Haseul had done crimes as heinous as she said it was. Haseul was right - she did not know her that well as she knew Yeojin or Kahei or even Chaewon. But, if there was one thing that Yerim was skilled in was her ability to sense someone's aura. Sometimes it took just a glance for her to tell if someone was a good person or not. That was how she felt wary of both Gahyeon and Minji when she saw them, which obviously turned out to be legitimate. The small time that Yerim has known Haseul, she had never got a strange feeling around her. She even saved Kahei from dying, so something did not click. How could someone who saved the life of a person she did not know also be responsible for iniquitous acts? That did not make sense to her.

"Well, I'm going to say you've never done anything wrong in the past..." Yerim began. "But, I believe that you're not a bad person now. I mean, I loved all the time we've known each other and I'm sure everyone agrees with me on that. Especially Kahei."

"Kahei?..." Haseul seemed intrigued by the mention of this name, so Yerim continued.

"Yes, Kahei. I don't know if you noticed this but Kahei really does like you. I'm not sure in what way - whether it's romantically or not - but I know that she really enjoyed your company. She was really disappointed when you left and could never stop talking about you. You saved her life, Haseul. You didn't even know her name and you saved her without question. So, I'm pretty sure if Kahei were here, she would be saying the same thing. You're not a bad person, Haseul. And I will never stop believing that."

Yerim could not see Haseul's reaction to this statement, but by the long silence, she could tell that the hybrid took it to heart. Maybe Haseul did not believe it, and she was not about to convince her otherwise. But, Yerim still wanted her to understand that she was not about to vilify her. She believed that people could change, even Haseul despite what she did. 

"You should try to go back to sleep." Haseul spoke up after a minute.

"Oh... Sure." Yerim leaned back against the rocky wall and closed her eyes, trying to go sleep. She wished that this torture would end already, but there was not much she could do about it currently. She was at least grateful that she had Haseul to keep her company otherwise she would have gone insane by now. Although, she always wished she could at least see the hybrid. The entire time they had locked together, Yerim had yet to see what Haseul looked like. The only way Yerim could know how she was feeling was by the tone of her voice, which was usually monotonous. Even though Haseul constantly stated that she was okay, Yerim was not so sure. If she was covered in cuts and bruises, she could not imagine what condition Haseul was in. 

As Yerim let the pending slumber take over her, she silently hoped that her friends were looking for them. 

And hopefully, it would not be too late.

***

"That sounds...brutal." 

Chaewon nodded at Jinsoul's comment, sighing with agreement. She had told Jinsoul, Jungeun, and Hyejoo what occurred in the vision, not leaving out any detail. Chaewon told them about the millions of dead bodies, the eerie atmosphere, the demolished kingdom, and the death of Haeun's parents. She also included of how Haeun and Mi-Sun reacted, which was grueling to explain without tearing up again. 

"We've been told stories when we were younger about how disastrous the war was." Jungeun began to explain. "But, for you to witness it... that must have been a hellish experience for you to see..."

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting that..." Chaewon agreed. "I never learned about the war or what hybrids went through back then since humans try to cover up the past. But, now that I know, I feel so... culpable. I feel so apologetic on behalf of all humans, especially since we never feel sorry or regretful. We think it was justified, which is far from the truth. Honestly, I wish all humans would see what I saw instead of turning a blind eye to it. We always act so high and mighty when we are no different from you guys, just a few physical aspects. I'm so sorry...and I know that won't fix the past, but I just can't bear to see hybrids go through such pain."

"Chaewon, you don't need to apologize." Jinsoul sighed. "This is not your fault. Even though we have to yet to fully recover from the war, despite it being centuries, not every human is a fault for that. We are mostly just frustrated that still after all this time, there has to be an apology or at least some sort of remorse. Hybrids societies are flawed at best and riotous at worst, and it is all because we were left without a leader or any financial aid. We had to rebuild our lives from scratch in a new land. But, that does not give any rationalization to what Gahyeon is attempting to do. We want to peace, not more violence."

"True," Jungeun nodded. "I just want us all to live harmoniously together. But, we just hate each other so much that... I doubt that it's ever possible. But this certainly is not going to make it any better."

"We know we can't change everyone's opinions of each other's species overnight since that's impossible." Hyejoo clarified. "But if we can at least stop this calamity from happening, then that's a start at least. It's better than not doing anything."

"You guys truly are heroes then." Chaewon praised, smiling. "I mean, you guys could've done nothing, but you're risking your lives for this..."

"Eh, it's not worth praising us for." Hyejoo shrugged. "If we don't do anything, then no one else will."

"Still. You guys are so determined. It's pretty admirable."

"Well don't thank us yet." Jinsoul advised. "We still have a lot more we need to do. We have to not only save Yerim and Haseul from the cult but we also have to find a place where we can hide for a while. Then we have to find a way to intervene with their plans."

"But how can we?" Chaewon asked. "Even if we hide, we have to venture out and learn so much more if we want to stand a fighting chance.

"You know what would help?" Jungeun began to suggest, getting everyone's attention. "Remember when Sana said that there was a possibility that there is a lumena dimension somewhere? That would really be a huge help if we could get there."

"Well, it's impossible for us to get there." Jinsoul stated, but then pondered for a few seconds before adding: "Unless..."

"Unless what?" Hyejoo asked.

"Well, we have two possibilities. Either we find someone who knows how to get there, which is extremely low of a chance. Or Chaewon could..."

"Could what? Teleport there?"

"Yep." Jinsoul nodded. An ability that ever hybrid possessed once they reached a certain age was teleportation. Of course, the practice was required to even reach another dimension, ad most dimensions are far apart. But, with time, any hybrid could teleport any distance. But one place a hybrid could always teleport to without much practice was their own dimension. No matter how far a hybrid traveled, they could always reach home without much effort. It was like the location was ingrained in their memories. Even if they were inexperienced in teleportation, they would still be able to reach home. So, if Chaewon could learn teleportation, then she could theoretically make it to the lumena dimension. That is if she could do that.

"That is possible." Jungeun nodded. "And it seems like the only option we have. Plus, if she could teleport us there, then it would be a perfect hiding place! There's no way that cult could find us there!"

"But...can she teleport yet?" Hyejoo questioned, concerned about the plan. "She just learned to transform literally a day ago. She can't properly fly yet and had not been able to do that invisibility spell since that day at the shed. I don't think Chaewon can do it now, especially not in five days."

"I think we can try." Jungeun asserted. "Chaewon's transforming fast, so maybe she can learn. I can try teaching her since I have the most experience."

With the experience of having to teleport to Jinsoul's dimension while they were dating, to also having to go to Hyejoo's dimension to watch over her due to her abusive father, Jungeun had thousands of teleportation practices under her belt.

"That would be a good idea." Jinsoul concurred. "If it succeeds, then it would be perfect."

"Uh... I'll try my best." Chaewon bit her lip. "But, I'm not sure if I can do it..."

"You can, babe." Hyejoo tried to sound positive as she placed a gentle hand on Chaewon's thigh. "But, it will take time. It took me a few weeks before I could teleport to Jungeun's dimension. I'm not sure if we can rush it, but if they think we can, then I'm right behind you."

Chaewon did not feel confident in any of her abilities, discovered or not. It felt like all of this magic was being uncovered at a rapid pace, not giving her chance to really hone in on them. But they were right - if she could teleport to the lumena dimension, then it would aid them greatly. In the end, Chaewon had nothing to lose if she tried. The worst-case scenario would be that they would have to hide out at a different, albeit more reachable, location. So ultimately, it was worth a try.

"I'll do it." Chaewon affirmed. "Doesn't hurt to try, right?"

"Exactly. Then it's settled." Jinsoul stood up from the seat. "We'll give that a try. If it doesn't work, then we'll figure out a plan B. While Jungeun is teaching Chaewon, Hyejoo and I will organize a plan of action with Sooyoung, Heejin, and Hyunjin on how to rescue Yerim and Haseul. And all within five days."

"Then we shouldn't wait any longer." Hyejoo instructed. "We'll start today. Heejin and Hyunjin are coming over in an hour or two, so we'll start planning today." 

"Agreed." 

"Then let's begin!" Jungeun announced, grabbing Chaewon's hand and pulled her up off her chair. She dragged her out of the living room and down the hallway. 

"W-Wait!" Chaewon tried to protest but it was too late as she was hauled by Jungeun into her bedroom, closing the door behind them and leaving Jinsoul and Hyejoo dumbfounded.

"So..." Hyejoo turned to Jinsoul. "Anyway, we still have to wait for Heejin and Hyunjin. What do you want to do while we wait?" 

"I'm not sure," Jinsoul admitted. "I was reading Haeun's diary before I came to talk to you guys so I could continue where I left off."

"Really? How's that going?"

"Pretty good. Most of the diary entries are about Haeun's relationship with your mother, but they are pretty endearing to read."

"Any crucial information?"

"No, at least not yet. It seems like all of the interesting information happened a while after Haeun and Mi-Sun got together and after what occurred in the third vision. Because everything is straightforward right now."

For the most part, that was true. Jinsoul did not include the part about the butterfly that formed in the diary and she was not planning to yet. They had enough to worry about and this could wait. 

"What about you, Hyejoo?"

"I don't really know." Hyejoo scratched her forehead. "I mostly spent my time with Chaewon. I haven't done anything on my own in quite a while..."

"That's true. You used to be so independent, but now you seem so attached to her."

"Honestly, this whole trip has changed me." Hyejoo reflected. "I thought we would just come here and solve the issue right away. But little did we know that this issue required a lot more strategy and fundamental knowledge. We had to meet several people along the way when we thought it was going to be only the five of us. I think we've all changed in some way due to these circumstances."

"You're right. But I think you have changed the most. Chaewon has really softened you up within these few months. You used to be so uptight and would be so paranoid, somewhat like me, but you seem a lot more relaxed."

Hyejoo shrugged, but could not help smiling to herself. Maybe she was defensive and anxious back then, but that was due to her father's abusive behavior causing her paranoia. Hyejoo would not say that those attributes have vanished, but were just not as prevalent as before. Chaewon had helped her relax a bit, whether that was her intention or not. She gave her more of a reason to smile, which is something she never thought anyone could do. Honestly, having a soulmate like Chaewon was a true blessing.

"Oh, Sana is calling," Jinsoul claimed, reading off her phone before answering the call.

"Hello?"

*"Hey! Just wanted to fill you in on Nari!"*

Jinsoul had almost forgotten about that cat. Yesterday, Sana offered to take Nari with her to her apartment. It had already been established that something about that animal had triggered Chaewon's transformation, so Sana stated she would "look into it". Jinsoul was hesitant at first since she had been acting strange while asking her, but she ignored the oddity for the sake of discovering how Nari could have an effect on Chaewon.

"Oh yeah, how is the cat doing?"

*"Oh, she's great! I was just giving her a bath, and she really enjoyed it. For now, I haven't figured out how she did that to Chaewon, but I should know soon! She really is a sweetheart. I can see why Chaewon loved having her as company!"*

"Uh, I guess?..." Jinsoul raised an eyebrow. It seemed like a peculiar way to describe an animal, but then again, Sana was always peculiar.

*"Tell Chaewon that Nari is doing just fine!"*

"Oh, I will-"

*"Sana!! Where did you put the towel??"* 

Jinsoul heard a different voice shouting from a distance, the sound being picked up on the phone.

*"Chae- Oh sorry, Jinsoul! I just have a friend over right now!"* 

"Oh... that's okay?" Jinsoul questioned skeptically. Sana sounded pretty nervous, but Jinsoul did not want to seem nosy so she did not ask any further.

*"Anyway, I'll see you soon! Bye!"* 

And just like that, Sana had ended the phone call, leaving Jinsoul and Hyejoo standing there puzzled.

"Should we ask?" Hyejoo suggested.

"No..." Jinsoul sighed. "Considering it's Sana, I think it's better to not know..."

***

Jiwoo stepped into her apartment, letting out a sigh as she closed and locked the front door. 

"Sooyoung?" Jiwoo called out but received no reply. She then walked into the bedroom but Sooyoung was in there either. Jiwoo decided to try to call her, thinking she might have stepped out for a while. After several rings, the call was finally answered.

"Sooyoung? Where are you?"

*"I'm with Heejin and Hyunjin. I'm going over to Chaewon's place."*

"Oh, that's nice! Can we talk for a-"

*"Jiwoo, I'll talk later. Not right now."*

"But, I wanted to say that I-"

*"Not now."*

"Wait!"

The call had ended. Jiwoo threw her phone onto the bed, releasing a groan. She then fell forwards into the bed, face slamming into the pillow as her groans were muffled. 

Jiwoo wished they did not have to fight like this all time. At first, they never fought and Jiwoo was convinced that their relationship would be perfect. Ever since the issue about the cult became more prevalent, then the fights would occur frequently. These fights, however, made her realize how little they knew about each other. In retrospect, their relationship started off while there were still too many secrets and white lies, and Jiwoo certainly did not help that with her constantly lying to Sooyoung for the past month. All that work they had spent trying to rebuild their relationship had come crumbling down because of her. Now they were back to stage one.

Maybe it would be better for them to part ways. Maybe they would work better as casual friends than as a couple. It would better than them trying to salvage an already broken relationship.

In hindsight, it was really Gahyeon who tampered with their relationship. It was odd to think about how small the world can be. In a way, Gahyeon, and the cult additionally, brought them together but also drew them apart. Maybe if Jiwoo never had known her, then none of this would have happened. She would never be done or said things she would not normally do. Of course, it was her own fault for being so oblivious and Jiwoo never denied that. But what Sooyoung had warned was correct - the cult was very devious. Jiwoo wished she could go back in time and stop herself from ever helping them. She would have never helped them raid the SRPC building or provide insider information. She would have never been suspicious of Sooyoung and gave her that necklace... Wait.

Jiwoo sat up from the bed suddenly. 

"Wait a minute..." Jiwoo gasped. She swiftly remembered that necklace Gahyeon had instructed her to give Sooyoung a while ago. Jiwoo had forgotten about it entirely, only now realizing while recollecting on the past month. Sooyoung had never taken it off once since then, attempting to appreciate the gift. Jiwoo could have even sworn that she saw her wearing this morning when they fought. 

Jiwoo did not know what the necklace did, regretfully. She should have asked back then, but she was too blinded by fear and disgust to even question Gahyeon. But if it was from her, then it could not be good.

Jiwoo grabbed her phone and rushed out of the bedroom, heading to the front door. Luckily, Sooyoung had told her that she was going to Chaewon's apartment, so she would have to act fast and demand her to take it off. She did not know what effect that necklace would have, or if this effect had already occurred. But, it was better to be safe than sorry. So, she took out her phone and began to dial Chaewon's number, instructing her to inform Sooyoung while she headed over there. 

Jiwoo ran as fast as she could, maneuvering her way past pedestrians as the phone began to ring. She had to call multiple times until she finally got a hold of Chaewon.

*"Hello?"*

"Chaewon!! It's Jiwoo!!"

*"Oh, Jiwoo! How are you doing? I haven't talked to you in a while!"*

"I know but now is not the time to catch up! Is Sooyoung at your place?"

*"Oh yeah, she just got here! Why?"*

"Okay, I need you to tell her something important! She needs to know right away!" 

*"Oh! Okay! What is it? Is it bad?"*

"Highly likely!" Jiwoo turned the corner, now being blocks away from Chaewon's apartment complex. "Tell her to take the necklace off her neck!" 

*"Necklace? Why?"*

"I have no time to explain!" Jiwoo made it to the apartment building, running up the steps. Just tell her to-"

Jiwoo paused at the top of the steps. Looking down the hallway and near Chaewon's door, she saw a group of people, most of them wearing black masks, standing there. They seemed to be waiting for something, or someone, as they were stalking around the door. Staring for a while, Jiwoo realized she recognized one of them. There was a woman standing nearest to the door, the only one not wearing a mask, which Jiwoo immediately remembered that she saw this woman with Gahyeon once. And if she was with Gahyeon, then these people had to be members of the cult. And if they were, this was not good.

*"Hello? Jiwoo?"*

Jiwoo blocked Chaewon's voice out, her body on high alert as she anticipated what the group of six were about to do next.

*"Jiwoo?!"*

"Chaewon," Jiwoo whispered. "You have to escape out of your apartment. Some cult members are at your door."

*"Wait, what?!"*

Jiwoo was about to respond but her breath got caught in her throat as she saw that recognized woman raise a fist. The woman's fist immediately began to turn purple with lavender light streaks swirling around it. The woman brought her fist back, appearing as though she was about to take a swing at the door. 

"Hey!!" Jiwoo shouted, running up to the door right before the woman was about to punch her fist against it. Every person standing there turn their attention to her, looking at her menacingly. As she saw that same woman look at her with a smirk, Jiwoo immediately realized that she made a huge mistake.

"Oh look who we have here..." That woman chuckled. "Hey, aren't you Sooyoung's girl?"

"Kinda, but that's not the point!" Jiwoo protested, a strange newfound confidence rushing into her. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"You sure are assertive for a human who's standing up to a group of hybrids." The woman noted. "I can't tell if you're serious or just unbelievably stupid. Either way, it's endearing."

"Should we handle her?" One of the masked hybrids asked.

"Nah, she's harmless." The woman laughed, turning back to the door. "She was dumb enough to trust Gahyeon, so clearly she has no clue what she's messing with. She's no threat. Just shove her aside and let's continue our mission."

Just as that woman had instructed, the same masked hybrid put both hands on Jiwoo's shoulders with a strong grip. 

"Just step aside sweetheart." That hybrid had demanded, in a slightly teasing tone. Jiwoo could even see the hybrid's eyes crinkle and small laugh come out muffled through the black mask. "This doesn't concern you so just sit back and let us work."

Jiwoo did not know what caused her to get so angry. Maybe it was the patronizing tone, or the amusement the group found by teasing her. But something about it made her feel enraged, as well as the fact that they were out to attack her friends. She should have stopped herself, but she was so pissed off that she ended up bringing a fist to the hybrid's face, punching them so hard that they immediately let go of her - stumbling and almost falling to the ground. 

"I am not letting you hurt my friends, whether it involves me or not!" Jiwoo exclaimed, fists tightening. But she was quick to realize her mistake and the rage quickly fizzled out as she saw that woman's expression goes from amused to furious. She stepped closer to Jiwoo, snickering lowly as she cracked her knuckles. 

"You truly are stupid." 

***

Jinsoul was busy talking to Sooyoung, Heejin, Hyunjin, and Hyejoo as she heard someone yelling outside, sounding angered. After the second she heard that person shout, she immediately could tell who it was.

"Is that Jiwoo?" Jinsoul asked, stepping closer to the door. "You guys heard her, right?"

"Yeah, I did." Hyunjin nodded, standing up from off the couch. "But who is she talking to?"

"Guys!!" Chaewon came bursting out of the bedroom alongside Jungeun, holding her phone in her hand. "Jiwoo's in trouble!"

"What? How?" Hyunjin asked. "We hear her outside but we don't know why she's yelling."

"Because the cult had got her!" Chaewon speedily explained. "She said that they were trying to break into the apartment! Now I think they're attacking her!"

"What?" Sooyoung immediately shot up, running towards the front door, unlocking it, and swinging the door open.

"Wait! Sooyoung!" Hyejoo called out, but it was already too late.

There was Jiwoo, laying on the ground. She had bruises all over her face and few areas of her body, arms up to guard herself against the attackers. One of the attackers had a ball of fire in her hand, leveling it above Jiwoo's head threateningly. Sooyoung watched as her girlfriend began to beg for her life, letting out harrowing sobs. 

"You really don't know how to listen, do you?" The unmasked woman had said as her back was turned from Sooyoung. As the woman whirled around to acknowledge the opening door, she got to see her face and immediately knew who that was. 

"Yubin?" Sooyoung said as the face came into full view. As she said this name, she could hear Heejin say "what?" behind her as she moved closer to the door. 

"Oh, Sooyoung. Glad to see you." Yubin had a vexatious grin on her face, causing Sooyoung to become even more infuriated than she already was. She could only see red as the swell of rage she felt rose within her to the point where it overpowered her better judgment. There was only one other time Sooyoung had ever felt this incensed, and that was a situation she would rather not rehash as it would only make her wrath overbearing.

Sooyoung shoved Yubin to the side and ran up to the masked hybrid who had the fire in her hand, grabbing them by the collar of their shirt and striking blows at their face until it was completely battered, throwing them against the wall. Another attacker tried to take a swing at her, but she ducked her head just in time and ended up smiting their stomach. As the person was cringing and holding the stomach in pain, Sooyoung bundled them into another hybrid who was coming up to her, causing them both to fall to the floor.

"Leave them!" Yubin demanded. "We aren't here for her! Go grab the girl!" 

All of the hybrids firmly nodded in obedience, following her into the apartment. The three hybrids that Sooyoung had fought stood back up, ignoring her and walking through the doorway. Sooyoung was ready to follow them but ended up fighting that urge as she reverted her attention back to Jiwoo. She crouched down next to her, putting a hand on the small of her back while helping her girlfriend lean forward. 

"Jiwoo?" Sooyoung's rage suppressed to immense worry for the injured girl, investigating the bruises all over her body. 

"Hey..." Jiwoo coughed, voice sounding hoarse. She tried to smile as a way of lightening the mood, but Sooyoung could focus on was the swelling at the corner of her bottom lip.

"Why are you here?? You should be at home!"

"I had to...t-tell you something..." Jiwoo coughed multiple times, causing her voice to come out weaker. 

"Look, it's okay for now. Just tell me where it hurts the most!" Sooyoung demanded. As much as she angered by Jiwoo's actions, this was not the time to address it. She had to make sure that her girlfriend had no serious injuries.

"My wrist..." Jiwoo lifted her hand. "It hurts a lot... I think it's twisted... Gahyeon had injured it first, and then these people had made it worse..."

"You met with Gahyeon??" Sooyoung shouted as she analyzed Jiwoo's wrist. She knew that they were friends, but she would have never expected her to be harm by the cult leader. Correction - Sooyoung knew it was highly possible, but could not do much to intervene. Gahyeon had already threatened her to not interfere with their friendship, directly or indirectly, unless she wanted Jiwoo to get hurt. Gahyeon had given Sooyoung her word that she would not purposefully harm her, but that was now proven to be untrue. 

"Yes... It's a long story but...."

"Save it for later. We have no time right now. Come on, let's get up."

"I don't think I can walk properly," Jiwoo confessed, pointing towards her left ankle. "I think I sprained my ankle when I fell..."

Sooyoung sighed but quickly thought up an idea. She threw Jiwoo's arm over her shoulder and picked her up from the ground by putting her own arms under knees, carrying her bridal style. Sooyoung carried down the hallway and up to Chaewon's doorway. She could not leave Jiwoo outside, especially in this defenseless state, so she would have to move her into a bedroom for now.

However, that proved to be easier said than done. 

Within the few minutes that Sooyoung was out of the apartment, a large fight was taking place. Every one of her friends, apart from Chaewon and Hyunjin who were not in the room, were in the living room, defending themselves from the six hybrids who had barged into the apartment. 

Jinsoul had knocked down the masked hybrid to the ground, looking up at them with a concerned face. Since she was nearby, she rushed over to the two of them.

"Take Jiwoo into the bedroom." Jinsoul whispered, quiet enough for only them to hear. "Chaewon and Hyunjin are already there. Just knock a few times and tell them who it is. We'll make sure no one follows you."

Sooyoung nodded and immediately bolted down the hallway, reaching the bedroom door in no time. She knocked repeatedly while shouting:

"Hyunjin! It's Sooyoung! Open up!" 

Sooyoung could hear the door unlock and as soon as it was open, she set Jiwoo down shoved her inside. Hyunjin was quick to push her into the room.

"Watch over her. She's injured." Sooyoung instructed and Hyunjin nodded, closing and locking the door. She could hear Jiwoo weakly calling out to her, but she had to force herself to ignore it as soon she rushed back into the living room.

***

"Chaewon?...." 

"Just sit still." Chaewon instructed, rummaging through her bottom drawer. "I swear Jungeun had put it in here somewhere... Aha!"

Chaewon pulled out a miniature bottle from the drawer and held it up in victory. She closed the drawer and crawled on her knees over to Jiwoo, who was sitting on the floor. 

"This should help with the pain." Chaewon declared, opening the bottle and pouring a small amount of the ointment on her hand. 

"Where does it hurt?"

"Uh... This wrist and my left ankle." Jiwoo replied and Chaewon instantly got to work, rubbing the ointment all over the wrist that she held out. 

"Jungeun said that this helps with major pain. She used it once on me when I had back pain from...an interesting circumstance." Chaewon explained, stopping in the middle with an awkward chuckle. "It might feel a little cold, but you'll feel better in no time."

"Okay..."

"Jiwoo." Hyunjin walked over to Jiwoo and sat beside her. "What happened? Why are these hybrids here? Did they follow you?"

"No, they couldn't have." Jiwoo responded, referring to the third question. "They were at your door before me. A woman was about to break your door down but I couldn't allow that to happen so I confronted them. It was stupid, I know... But I don't know why they're here."

"You shouldn't have gotten involved with them since they could have inflicted a lot more damage on you." Hyunjin scolded. "But, at the very least, your actions warned us about them breaking in and gave us some time to prepare. So, that's an upside to this. What I'm more concerned about is why they are here in the first place."

"They're most likely here for me." Chaewon commented worriedly as she poured more ointment and moved on to the ankle. "They said they knew my whereabouts and that they want me so what else?"

"Still, how did they know you would be here?" Hyunjin asked. "You could have been at my place or at your job. But they came in here so sure of themselves."

"Maybe they were watching us?..." 

"Of course they were." Hyunjin groaned. "I still don't know how they did it! I left my phone at home on purpose just so I can see if they knew where I was. But they still knew! So if it's not my phone, then what else could be spying on us?"

Jiwoo was just as puzzled as them until she saw a glimmer catch her eyes. She looked at Hyunjin's neck and saw a necklace with an emerald green pendant, immediately acknowledging it as the same necklace Sooyoung had. Her eyes widened as it dawned on her.

"It's the necklace!" Jiwoo exclaimed, making Chaewon and Hyunjin stare at her in confusion. 

"What?"

"The necklace you have around your neck!" Jiwoo clarified, pointing at Hyunjin's chest where the pendant laid. "That's what's been spying on you!"

"How do you know?" Chaewon questioned.

"Because when I was working for Gahyeon, she gave me this same necklace to give to Sooyoung. She said it was supposed to "monitor" her. That's why I came here - because I remembered that Sooyoung still had it on!"

Hyunjin looked downwards at her chest and instantly took off the necklace, looking at it in interest before shoving into a drawer before any else could spy on them further.

"How is that even...?"

"I don't know but.... wait." Jiwoo turned to Chaewon. "Did you tell Sooyoung to take it off?"

"Oh, sorry! I forgot!" Chaewon replied in regret. 

"Chaewon!" 

"I'm sorry! I was so scared you were getting attacked that I forgot!" 

"Look, it's not that big of a deal." Hyunjin reassured. "If it only monitors her then she should be alright. We'll get her to take it off before we leave."

"Leave?" Jiwoo repeated, making Hyunjin nod.

"We can't stay here while this is happening. We're going to escape for a few days until we can come up with a plan to save Yerim and Haseul. Then all twelve of us, with possibly Chaewon's parents and Sana, will find somewhere else to hide out. There's a lot that's happened in the last month and we'll catch you up later but for right now we have to act quick."

"Oh...got you." 

Suddenly, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Who is it?!" Hyunjin called out.

"Jungeun!! Open up!" 

Hyunjin stood up and opened the door, Jungeun pushing past her. As soon as she got into the room, Hyunjin closed and locked the door before anyone else could get inside.

"Alright, we have a plan." Jungeun began to announce. "We'll have to go to our old house back in Jinsoul's dimension for now. Do you know where Kahei and Yeojin might be?"

"I think they have a staff meeting at the school right now." Hyunjin responded.

"Alright, then I'll have to get them and bring them to the house. Jinsoul and the others will come in here shortly and teleport you guys there. I'll be right back."

And without hesitation, Jungeun was immediately surrounded by a bright light, so bright that Jiwoo had to avert her eyes to avoid being blinded. And within a few seconds, she was gone.

"Alright, then that's the plan." Hyunjin agreed, waiting by the door for the rest of her friends. 

There was another knock on the door, followed by a loud "It's Jinsoul!!" as Hyunjin was quick to open the door. Four women rushed inside, with Heejin being the one to lock the door behind them. 

"I was able to hold down Yubin for a while but we barely have any time!" Heejin declared. "Let's go!"

"Wait, before we go," Hyunjin interjected. "Sooyoung, you have to take that necklace off your neck!"

"What, why?" Sooyoung tilted her head.

"I'm sorry, Sooyoung!" Jiwoo spoke up, beginning to explain. "Gahyeon had told me to give it to you! It was supposed to monitor you and after talking with Hyunjin I realized it was spying on you! So just take it off before we leave!"

"Do what she says! We don't have time!" Jinsoul demanded, reaching over to the latch on the necklace and trying to unhook it. She tried multiple times but it would not budge.

"It's stuck!" 

"What?!" Hyejoo tried to unhook it as well, but it did not work. So she tried breaking the necklace, herself being the strongest hybrid, but even she could not break it. After multiple attempts, the necklace began to glow and Hyejoo felt something shock her hand.

"Ow!" Hyejoo yelped, followed by Chaewon as she could feel the same pain, and she pulled her hand away. 

"What was that?" Chaewon asked, shaking her hands to cope with the pain. 

"I don't know but why can't we get it off??" Heejin exclaimed in frustration. 

"That's weird. I was able to take mine off." Hyunjin explained. "It's the same one I have and was able to unlatch it with ease."

"What do we do?" Jiwoo asked, sounding desperate.

Just as Jiwoo said this, there was a large bang at the door, causing all of them to jump. There was now a dent in the door, one that looked to be fist-sized.

"I'm done messing around!" They all could hear the woman, possibly Yubin, shouting at them from the other side. When there was another bang on the door, they realized that they had no more time.

Sooyoung looked at the frightened faces around the room and immediately felt guilty. She was reminded of all the times she had allowed her dearest friends to get hurt when it could have been easily avoidable. She could not allow her friends to get hurt, or even killed, because of her.

Not again. Not ever again.

"Just go!" Sooyoung commanded. "I'll just stay here!"

"No!" Jiwoo protested. "We can figure this out! We can't just leave you here and let you get hurt!"

"You have no choice! It's either I go and they find you, or we get ambushed right now! I can't let that happen, so go!! I can handle myself!"

"Come on guys!" Jinsoul instructed, knowing they had less than a minute before Yubin would get in here. Hyejoo grabbed hold of Chaewon's hand so she could teleport with them, while Jinsoul held Hyunjin's. Heejin pulled Jiwoo to her feet and kept a firm arm at her waist to keep her standing. Jiwoo tried to push her away so that she could get to Sooyoung, but Heejin kept her in place. 

"No, no!! Sooyoung!!" Jiwoo yelled out, intense desperation in her voice as tears fell from her eyes. "We can't leave you here!!! Please!!!"

"Just stay safe!" Sooyoung responded, ignoring her pleas.

Suddenly, Jiwoo saw a bright light engulfing them and all her surroundings begin to fade around her. Sooyoung began to appear distant and blurry, much to the dismay of Jiwoo, who was trying as hard as ever to break from Heejin's grip. But as much as she tried to protest, Sooyoung did not move from her spot. Instead, a tender smile developed on her face as Jiwoo saw the door being broken down. Although the room was almost completely white, she could see Sooyoung's face vividly as she did not break eye contact with her while saying:

"I love you."

And just as she saw Sooyoung being grabbed by Yubin, everything turned so bright that Jiwoo was forced to shut her eyes. Tears rapidly dripped from her closed eyes, part of it from the external pain from the flashing light shining in her eyes.

But most of it was internal, as it felt as though guilt and anger came crashing down on her.

"All my fault..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 26! A pretty calm beginning turned into a wild ending! This chapter is all about guilt and how that affect one actions negatively, but also in positively as it motivates you to make up for those said actions. Another cliffhanger ending (I'm sorry!) but a lot will happen next chapter so you won't be disappointed!
> 
> The end of Part 1 is coming fast, with only two more chapters to go (+ a slight epilogue/sneak peek of Part 2 at the end)! But don't worry, nice weekly oneshots will be in between the one and a half month break! I can't wait for you all to read Part 2, as I have so many things planned!
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	27. 𝒊 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i never knew that you were capable of so much more.  
> i thought i already knew you, especially after you fooled me once.  
> but now, it appears that i am the fool.  
> recently, you have fooled me twice.  
> but even so, are we both fools?  
> i am a fool for my naivety.  
> but you are the fool for not recognizing my own strength.  
> for right now, i can simply say  
> 𝒊 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

"No!!!" Jiwoo shouted as she escaped from Heejin's hold on her waist, almost stumbling from her twisted ankle. 

"Hey, Jiwoo! Relax!" Heejin held out her arms in case Jiwoo was about to fall.

"No, we have to go back!" Jiwoo put her hands on Heejin's shoulders and looked at her desperately. "Sooyoung is going to get hurt!! We have to help her! We have to-"

"Calm down," Jinsoul instructed with a stern tone. "She will be okay. Sooyoung can handle herself, trust me."

"But, we're not just going to leave her, are we?" Jiwoo asked, looking at Jinsoul with pleading eyes.

"Hell no!" Hyejoo responded. "We're going back there, just not yet. Sooyoung will be able to defend herself until then. Right now, we can't allow for Chaewon to get taken, especially when there's a lot of things we have to complete first. Once we do, we're going for her, Yerim, and Haseul. Don't worry."

Jiwoo was still worried, despite their efforts, but she at least decided to calm down. Panicking would not solve anything. At least she was inspirited by the plan her friends seemed to have developed.

As she calmed down, Jiwoo took a second to notice her new surroundings. She was in the living room of an unfamiliar house, most likely belonged to Jinsoul based on what Jungeun had said. The house looked immaculate, with the pure white walls and spotless flooring. The living room was filled with modern furniture - monochromatic and sleek. Despite this being a completely different dimension, the house looked like a place that could be found on Earth.

"This is....your house, Jinsoul?" Jiwoo asked in awe. 

"Yeah, well Jungeun and I." Jinsoul clarified. "After we got married, we moved into this place. Hyejoo came to live with us soon after."

"Wow... Well, it looks amazing!" 

"Yeah, the place looks beautiful!" Chaewon agreed, who was also gazing around the room. Compared to Jungeun's or Hyejoo's dimension, this house looked very similar to Earth's designs. There was technology in here as well, such as the television and electronic fireplace. It was a huge contrast to the previous dimensions she has visited.

"Your house looks a lot different from the ones we've seen in other dimensions," Chaewon commented, making Jinsoul let out a short chuckle.

"That's because my dimension is much more advanced than theirs." Jinsoul elucidated. "Lympha is the most modern hybrid dimension out of all of them and our society is very similar to Earth. That's why I wasn't as confused by Earth when I arrived compared to everyone else."

"That explains it." Chaewon chuckled. She remembered months back when Jinsoul, Jungeun, and Hyejoo arrived to stay at her apartment. While Jungeun and Hyejoo took a while to adjust, Jinsoul seemed pretty accustomed to human society and social norms. 

"Anyway, we have a lot to do." Hyunjin butted in. "When Jungeun gets here with Kahei and Yeojin then we can begin. When she does, she'll tend to your injuries, Jiwoo, and continue your teleportation lessons, Chaewon. But while we wait, Jinsoul and Heejin, you guys are coming with me. I have something you two need to help me with." 

"Sure, let's head to my office." Jinsoul suggested. Heejin carefully helped Jiwoo sit down on the couch before following Jinsoul and Hyunjin, leaving Jiwoo, Chaewon, and Hyejoo alone in the living room. 

"Jiwoo, how are you feeling?" Hyejoo asked, examining the minor injuries all over Jiwoo's face and arms. There were a few spots of discoloration on her face, as well as a busted bottom lip. Her arms were just the same with the addition of a scrapped elbow, but that was covered up by a bandaid that Chaewon had put on earlier. Besides the hurt wrist and twisted ankle, most of Jiwoo's injuries were easily treatable and could heal in a few days. 

"I'm okay," Jiwoo confirmed. "You shouldn't worry about me too much. It was my fault anyway..."

"Don't say that." Chaewon retorted, sitting beside her best friend and holding both of her hands. "You were trying to save us! Yeah, it may have not been the best plan. But, your intentions were sincere and we all appreciate that!"

"I know but it's not just that..." Jiwoo sighed. "I'm the reason why Sooyoung couldn't come with us. If I wasn't so stupid enough to trust Gahyeon, I would have never given her that necklace. I didn't even ask what it did! This all could've been avoided and Sooyoung would be safe with us! What if they kill her? It would all my fault!"

"Don't put all the blame on yourself," Hyejoo reassured. "Firstly, Sooyoung is not going to get killed. If they haven't tried it for this long, it would make no sense to do so now. I've known Sooyoung for years, I know that she can tolerate a lot. As long as we act fast, nothing bad should happen to her. Secondly... we don't blame you for getting tricked by her. Sooyoung did, and we don't hold it against her. We get it - Gahyeon is your friend. I would probably be easily manipulated if was from a friend like Jinsoul, Jungeun, or even Heejin. So, I get why you would blindly trust this girl. All we can do now is stop dwelling on past mistakes and move forward. We have too much to deal with right now to form a pity party."

"Yes, and I'm sure Sooyoung doesn't hate you." Chaewon added. "You guys were both a victim. Both of you made mistakes that cost a heavy amount, but we would never hold it against you. Let's just move on so we can focus on defeating that cult. At the very least, you came to your senses just in time, so that's good!"

"Well, thanks to Heejin and Hyunjin..." Jiwoo smiled. "But yeah, I get it. But still... I don't know if I could ever forgive myself for what I've done. And if Sooyoung gets severely injured because of me, then I'll still feel the guilt..."

"But what did she tell you?.." Chaewon asked. "To, you know, give Sooyoung that necklace?"

"Gahyeon told me that Sooyoung was dangerous. She showed me these pictures of Sooyoung killing all these people and told me a story about how she plotted to kill Kahei too, and I got terrified. She told me that the necklace would monitor her, so I agreed."

"Well, I don't blame you for being terrified." Hyejoo sympathized. "Those pictures are true, yes. But Sooyoung had told us that she was forced to do so. They would give her this drug which would turn her savage and more inclined to murder. It was not willingly."

"So... She wasn't trying to kill anyone?"

"No, never. As I said, she's just as much of a victim as you are."

"But what about Kahei?"

"She never mentioned that," Hyejoo replied. "But I doubt she actually wanted to kill her based on that information. I mean, if she truly wanted Kahei killed, Sooyoung wouldn't have brought her to us when she was dying. That is a huge contradiction."

That only made Jiwoo feel even more guilty. On face value, it looked as though Sooyoung was a serial killer, the pictures being too gruesome for her to question. But now with more information, it changed how she viewed the situation completely. On top of that, the idea of Gahyeon having all those pictures should have been a red flag, but somehow Jiwoo did not notice. With this context, everything just became a whole lot more confusing.

"I have so many questions..." 

"Like what?"

"Like...what do they want with you?" Jiwoo asked Chaewon. "You guys keeping saying how we have to keep you safe..."

"Oh, yeah that!" Chaewon laughed awkwardly. "You've missed a lot."

Chaewon and Hyejoo began to explain what occurred within the past two months, starting from what occurred in the cave and the New Year's Day party up until now. She told her about Sana, who Haeun and Mi-Sun were, the visions and strange dreams, lumena, etc - not leaving out any details. Jiwoo appeared lost at first but slowly caught on to what was going on. The explanation went on for about twenty minutes. 

"Wow, that is a lot!" Jiwoo commented in shock. "But wait, does that mean that you're...a hybrid?"

"Uh, yes and no?" Chaewon pondered. "I mean, I have hybrid abilities and can transform, so I guess so? But I wasn't born that way. Haeun is the reason why I can do all these things, and she's a part of me so... I don't know. If our souls weren't combined, then I would be fully human right now." 

"So... Haeun is a part of you... So can she talk to you? Is she alive? Wait, are souls alive?... Can she take over you too?"

"Uh, I've never seen or heard her before, I don't think. But, there was one time she took over me and started to call Hyejoo "Mi-Sun", you know because that's Hyejoo's mother and all."

"Wow... So, different topic. You said that there are five visions, right? And you've already done four, right? So what about the fifth one?"

"That's going to have to be on hold for now." Hyejoo responded. "We can't go anywhere until we get Sooyoung, Yerim, and Haseul. Hopefully, we'll find it but considering how we have to hide somewhere for a while, I doubt it." 

"Ah, well that sucks. Those visions sound so interesting. I bet the fifth vision would even more intriguing." 

"Possibly, yeah. But we can't take any risks right now."

"I understand. But, what do those cult people want with Chaewon? Is it her power or something?"

"We don't know..." Chaewon answered. "I don't know what they would need with me but I don't want to wait and find out. But I assume it's my power, yes."

"You must be really powerful then... Wait, what can you do? Can you fly?"

"Yes-"

"Nope." Hyejoo snickered. "Last time she tried, she only got a few feet in the air before falling on her face."

"Hey!" Chaewon whined. "I told you to stop bringing it up! I was trying my best, okay? Why do you keep bullying me for it?.."

"Aw, I'm sorry, baby. You were just so cute trying so hard and then failing so dramatically. Your face after you fell was priceless!"

"Ya! You're so mean..." Chaewon pouted as Hyejoo pinched her cheeks while cooing at her.

"I hate you..." Chaewon glared at her.

"Aw, I love you too!"

"Why am I dating you?"

"Because we were literally born to be together." 

"Sad but true."

"Hey!"

Jiwoo could not help but burst into laughter, smiling endearingly at the young couple. 

"You two are so adorable, I can't handle it!" Jiwoo laughed. "You two were really meant to be together. I'm glad you guys are a couple!"

"Did we have a choice?" Both Chaewon and Hyejoo said in unison, making their eyes widen and resulting in more laughs coming from Jiwoo.

"Wow, and you guys are talking the same!" Jiwoo noted. "I might actually be knocked out of my soulmate status with Chaewon."

"No, you can have her." Hyejoo teased. "She was starting to annoy me anyway."

"What?" Chaewon's lower lip started quivering as she let our fake sniffles. "You don't love me anymore?... But what about the things I've done for you?... All those precious times we've shared? All those times I woke up at five in the morning to make you pancakes? All those times I would purposely try to lose at Mario Kart because you used to suck at it? Does that mean nothing to you?..."

"Sorry. I made up my mind." Hyejoo crossed her arms and turned her head, joining in on the act.

"Hmph! Fine..." Chaewon turned herself on her couch so she was facing away from Hyejoo. Jiwoo was watching the k-drama brought to life with amusement, enjoying how cute the couple acted towards each other. Maybe it was intentional for them to make Jiwoo smile this much, but either way, it worked. 

"Aw, wait, baby..." Hyejoo hugged Chaewon from behind and brought her close. "I'm sorry..."

"I don't forgive you." Chaewon huffed, trying to ignore her advances. But Hyejoo was persistent - so she repeatedly presses kisses on Chaewon's cheek while constantly begging:

"Please?.." 

Chaewon tried to resist but ended up blushing bright red due to the fact that she was doing this in front of her best friend. So, to end the embarrassment, she sighed and decided to comply.

"Fine... I forgive you..." 

"Yes!" Hyejoo cheered, placing a final kiss on Chaewon's ear before pulling away. 

".... But you're sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Wait a minute! You're not-"

Jiwoo almost fell out the seat as she was laughing too hard, eyes crinkling while she covered her wide open mouth. Chaewon and Hyejoo looked at her with tender smiles before nodding at one another, knowing their unplanned idea of calming her down had worked. 

***

Chaewon took a deep breath. She closed her eyes as her breathing steadied. She clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to run a single thought through her mind. As her lips were pursed and her eyebrows furrowed, Chaewon felt the ground beneath her begin to break away and she felt herself levitating on air. She felt a rush of wind whip past her, making her feel hopeful for the thirteenth time that day. When the wind stopped and she felt herself standing on solid ground, Chaewon gradually opened her eyes with anticipation.

"And... I didn't make it." Chaewon sighed as her eyes were opened. She looked at Hyejoo, who was about fifteen feet away, then turned around to Jungeun, who was another fifteen feet. She had traveled only to the midpoint between the two, starting from Jungeun. She was supposed to reach Hyejoo, but after dozens of tries, she began to feel less optimistic.

"Well, it's closer than last time!" Jungeun reassured, smiling. "About two or three feet further! That's a great improvement!"

"I should have been able to do it by now..." Chaewon frowned. "You guys make it look so easy..."

"Well, we have done it for years longer than you so don't get upset, baby!" Hyejoo encouraged. "Just try again!"

"I've been doing it for the past hour..."

"And moping around won't solve anything! So come on, please?"

Chaewon kicked the dirt beneath her, feeling completely frustrated. They had been in this forest for over an hour now, practicing on teleportation. It took her over thirty minutes for her to even be able to move anywhere, often just staying in the same place. Now she had to travel over a far distance, just as a warm-up. But that warm-up proved more difficult than Chaewon would have expected.

"You'll get it soon, I promise!" Jungeun comforted. "This is why I made Hyejoo the target point. All you have to do is visualize her in her mind and then you should teleport to her easily. You must focus on only Hyejoo. Don't get worried otherwise it will interfere with the visualization."

That was easier said than done. Chaewon could not help her worry, it just came naturally. She only had four days until they had to go back and stand up the cult, meaning that she had to learn teleportation in a hurry. Chaewon wanted to be able to reach the lumena dimension, just as Jinsoul had hoped, but it seemed impossible right now. She couldn't even travel over twenty feet. How could she even travel to a place she had never been to? Everyone was counting on her and Chaewon felt like she was letting all of them down. 

But, that was probably her biggest driving force. The goal of being able to travel there, as unlikely as it seemed, would be satisfying if it were to happen. Chaewon also felt motivated by the overwhelming support that Jungeun, Hyejoo, and everyone else was giving her. That forced her not to give up, even when all seemed lost.

"Alright," Chaewon nodded. "I'll try again."

"That's the spirit!" Jungeun cheered, watching as Chaewon walked up to her. "Just focus."

Chaewon did as Jungeun instructed and closed her eyes, respiring deeply. She tried to focus on her end goal, the image of Hyejoo becoming distinct in her mind. She allowed for the ground to disintegrate beneath her and for the wind to gust against her skin. Unlike last time, there was a hushed voice that was whispering into her ear. Most of the whispers were indecipherable, but there was one phrase that was coherent:

*"I am always with you."*

Then Chaewon felt the firm ground under her feet and the wind halted. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes gradually, not knowing what to expect. But she instantly felt joy when she saw herself standing inches away from Hyejoo, who was smiling rewardingly. 

"You did it." 

"Really?!" Chaewon face lit up. "I actually did it??"

"Yes, you did." Hyejoo confirmed, holding Chaewon's hands as her smile grew. 

"Great job, Chaewon!!" Jungeun called out from a distance. "I'm so proud of you!!"

"Thanks!!" Chaewon felt overwhelmingly ecstatic. Even though it was a significantly smaller distance than traveling dimensions, it was certainly a large improvement and a great start. But along with the excitement, Chaewon also felt confused by the whispers she heard. She knew she recognized that voice somewhere, just could not place it. Whoever it was, they seemed to have assisted her in some way with the teleportation.

"Alright, we should try going to another dimension!" Jungeun suggested. "We can try mine since you've seen it before." 

"Okay but I'm guessing it's not going to be easy..." Chaewon sighed, already tired from how long this certain practice took.

"Probably not but that's okay!" Hyejoo encouraged. "Take all the time you need. We're here to help you, no matter how long it takes, so don't feel pressured."

"I'll try my best..." Chaewon agreed. They only had four days, so she knew that time was of the essence.

"Let's begin." Jungeun walked up to Chaewon and held out an extended arm. "Take my hand."

Chaewon hesitantly took her hand, clutching it tightly. 

"It's probably best for only us to go since more than two people can become a little challenging with no experience. So, Hyejoo, you stay here." Jungeun advised and Hyejoo nodded. "Chaewon, I'm going to let you try. Just visualize what you saw when you came to Alirtura and you should be able to make it there."

"Wait, what happens if I don't make it to Alirtura?" Chaewon asked. "I'm not going to, like, get stuck this strange limbo, am I?"

"No, you will be sent back to this exact spot. So, no matter how far off you are or how close, you won't make it unless you stay calm and keep the vision of Alirtura in your mind."

"Understood. But also...did you guys hear that voice from earlier?"

"What voice?" Hyejoo asked, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't hear anything."

"Me neither." Jungeun shrugged.

"Oh okay... I don't know. I heard someone whispering to me while I was trying to teleport. It was like that person was helping me because when they stopped whispering, I had made it to Hyejoo."

"I'm...not sure what that could be." Jungeun contemplated. "That never happens with teleportation. But, at least that voice was helping you! Maybe it will you again this time!"

"I guess we'll see." 

Chaewon held her clasp on Jungeun's hand as she let her eyes close and body relax. She did not expect to make it on the first try, but she wanted to give it her best shot. Chaewon tried to fill her thoughts with memories of when she visited Jungeun's dimension - the tall trees, scurrying animals, the dozens of families working, and moss-covered cottages. She remembered the grass tickling her feet and the birds singing into her ear. Her senses recalled the warm temperatures and the sweet scents. Chaewon tried to envision herself in Alirtura, calling to mind what she had witnessed over a month ago.

She felt the wind come back and braced herself for what was to come. She tried to keep her recollection of Alirtura in her head and blocked any other thought from entering. Jungeun's hand was allowing her to feel both confident and tranquil as the teleportation continued. 

Then, that is when the voice came back. But instead of the hushed whispers, there became louder and less faraway. They were shouting incoherent noises into her head, obfuscating the vision of Alirtura she tried so hard to grip on to. Chaewon heard the voices of several people but could not put the voice to a face. The voices sounded distorted, almost like a broken record or a corrupted voice recording. Her brain was trying to remember memories that were not her own, or like someone was trying to bombard these thoughts into her vulnerable mind. Either way, it became so overbearing that she no longer felt Jungeun's hand in her own, nor the gusts of wind. She did not feel any ground beneath her but felt stuck in place.

Because of this, Chaewon slowly opened her eyes to see what was occurring. 

Instantaneously, Chaewon saw a flood of visions flash before her eyes. They were visions of people and events, but she did not recognize any of them. The faces were blurred and the scenes were glitching, similar to a defected video. It was so irrepressible that Chaewon's head started to hurt, so she had her throbbing head in her hands. She wished to close her eyes but could not since it felt like her eyelids were being forced to stay open. All she could do is wait, begging and screaming for the pain to stop or for Jungeun to save her. But alas, it only kept going.

After a few minutes or so, the flashing of unrecognizable memories halted at one image. It was the vivid image of a butterfly, one with rainbow wings and a golden abdomen. It was magnificence but Chaewon's head was aching so much that she could not focus on it. 

Eventually, Chaewon's eyes were forced shut and she felt as though she was falling, a rush of wind blowing from beneath her. It continued for a few more seconds until she felt herself laying on some sort of grassy area. She eventually was able to open her eyes as she could hear two voices screaming at her. She was able to make out the voices to be Jungeun and Hyejoo, and her opening her eyes to see their frightened faces confirmed this. 

"Chaewon!!" Hyejoo shouted as helped Chaewon to stand, pulling her up by her arms. "Oh my god, I thought we lost you!!"

"Wh-What?" Chaewon stuttered, her head still jumbled up. 

"One minute we were in the middle of teleporting, and then the next I was back here but without you!" Jungeun explained, still panicking. "I thought something terrible had happened!"

"Well, uh... something did happen..."

Jungeun and Hyejoo looked at her with concern, anticipating the explanation, and Chaewon took a minute to gather her thoughts before continuing.

"While we were teleporting, the voices came back. But this time, instead of whispering, they were shouting at me. Next thing I knew, I couldn't feel Jungeun's hand so I started to panic. I opened my eyes to see all of these events flashing before my eyes like I was watching a glitching video or something. I think they were memories because it was like a somewhat remembered them but at the same time could not recall. Then, after a few minutes, I saw a large rainbow butterfly. Then everything went black and I ended up back here." 

"That's..." Hyejoo became speechless. She did not know how to respond to something like this because this was not a situation she had ever heard before. Jungeun was the same - shocked and confused. All her life she had never heard anything like this occur during teleportation, not even in other magical situations. This was not something any of them were familiar with but it certainly made them concerned.

"Maybe we should continue this tomorrow." Jungeun suggested. "Even though we're in a rush, we can't have anything like that happening again. Let's just head home and rest for today."

"Good idea." Hyejoo agreed. Clearly, whatever happened to Chaewon was significant in some way, as everything concerning her was, but they did not know how. It was best to give it some thought before continuing the practice sessions.

"I'm okay with that..." Chaewon nodded. 

As the three women began to walk home, Chaewon had a strange feeling in the back of her mind. For some reason, she felt as though whatever occurred to her was foresight into what was to come. Her journey was nowhere near over, she knew that. But somehow, Chaewon felt like there was a lot more to come.

Chaewon knew that the adventure was only getting started.

***

"Alright guys, now here is the plan." Hyunjin announced, pointing at a dry erase board with a marker as she stood in front of everyone else. Jiwoo was sitting on a chair behind the desk of the office, with Kahei and Yeojin standing by her side. Jungeun sat on another chair that was on the opposite side of the room, with Jinsoul leaning her arms against the back of it. Hyejoo was leaning against the door to the office with Chaewon next to her. Heejin was on the other side of the dry erase board, standing there with an additional marker in her hand. 

"Listen closely." Hyunjin began. "Alright, this plan might be difficult, however, it has to be in order for us to take up a minimal amount of time. This has to be done on the "Red Sun" event day, which is three days. We don't have any room for mistakes as it will cost us immensely. So, first of all, we have to be broken up into several groups. First group-"

Hyunjin wrote a few names on the board before reading them out loud:

"Jungeun. Kahei. Yeojin. You three have to go get anyone who might be in possible danger due to our disappearance. This includes Sana, Chaewon's parents, and anyone else who was involved. We will bring them here for the time being until we can figure out where our next hideout is. You guys can start a day prior if you want, but not to early as we can't cause suspicion. You know observant that cult is."

"We can do that." Jungeun nodded. "We can go the night before if you want."

"That's fine." Hyunjin confirmed. "Just make sure you all stick together. We can't have anyone else becoming missing. Yeojin, Kahei, stay by Jungeun's side as she will protect you."

"We understand." Kahei said as she and Yeojin nodded. 

"Okay, second group-" Hyunjin wrote two names. "Jinsoul and I. So while talking to Sooyoung, she told us that the cult had moved to a new place and brought Yerim and Haseul with them. I will elaborate on this more when I discuss the third group since it is more relevant there. But, since the original base is likely to be empty, we will go there and see if we can find any information on them that we can use. We expect there to be no trouble, but we will still be swift and cautious. Maybe we can even find out their plans so we can plan ahead."

"That's fine." Jinsoul agreed. "As long as you know where it is."

"Yes, I do. Sooyoung gave me the address. Now, on to the final group-" Hyunjin wrote three more names. "Heejin. Hyejoo. Chaewon. You all will actually go to the new base. Now, with connecting the dots, I was able to pinpoint where the new base is located. Remember that cave we saw when we went on that trip?"

"Yeah, with the whole sun carving?" Hyejoo asked. "I remember."

"That's the one. After Sooyoung giving me the context that this place was apparently "a place we had been before" and "a magical location only hybrids could perceive", which was said by Gahyeon, it was not hard to figure it out. That being said, you three will get a head start on going to that cave and trying to find Sooyoung, Yerim, and Haseul. Since Heejin and Hyejoo are the most experienced in fighting here, it would make sense for them to go. However, I want you guys to avoid fighting as much as you can. We want this to be more of a stealth mission. Only fight someone if it absolutely necessary, and do it discretely."

"What about me?" Chaewon spoke up. "I don't know how to fight. Why am I going?"

"Because you have an ability that will assist with the stealthiness. The invisibility e you used that one time when we were in the shed would be a huge help. If you guys could become invisible, you could just sneak in and search around undetected. Now, I know Gahyeon is after you so you must be extremely careful. Heejin, Hyejoo, you two have to protect her at all costs. If Gahyeon gets her, it's game over. Jinsoul and I will join you all after we finish our investigation."

"Also, there is one more thing we need to give you guys." Heejin announced before reaching into a large bag that was by her feet. She pulled out a spray bottle and revealed it to them. "This is something that will help us all out when going to that base."

"So, a little backstory." Hyunjin started to explain. "Months ago, I had been given a briefcase of all of these magical trinkets by my grandfather. A mistake had occurred, and Heejin ended up trying to attack me. It was this flower that had this to her, and one sniff of it made her go into a frenzy. A few days ago we found that this was the flower that is given to cult members as a way to be forced into murdering others without their consent. Which, yes, was also used on Sooyoung. Luckily, the reason why Heejin was able to break out of it instantly was a second flower that is found in that same briefcase. All Heejin had to do was smell it and she was back to normal. So with that knowledge, I was able to figure out a way to defend yourself for any of the cult members if they are in this savage state."

"Jinsoul, Hyunjin, and I went to see if this flower could be turned into some sort of spray." Heejin continued. "We got the briefcase from our apartment and brought out the flower, which there were several of in the case, and went to see Jinsoul's cousin, who could turn the flower into a liquid spray. Long story short, we now have several bottles of spray from that flower."

"All you need to do if a hybrid were to attack you is spray one little spritz of the concoction at them and they will instantly relax." Hyunjin advised. "However, we only have five bottles so use it wisely. Each group will get one."

"Wait, I have a question!" Jiwoo began. "What about me? I'm not in any group..."

"That's because you're staying here." Hyunjin responded. "You're already injured. You would be an easy target if they were to find you. So, you're staying in the house until we finish."

"But, I want to help!" Jiwoo retorted. "I know I'm hurt but it's not that bad. My wrist is better and I can walk properly now! So what if I have a few bruises? If Kahei and Yeojin can help, then I can too!"

"First of all, you can't walk properly. While walking to this office I could see you limping." Jinsoul began to say with a strict tone. "Secondly, Kahei and Yeojin are not hurt like you are. We cannot have you getting taken as we already have three people we have to save. We are already taking too many risks. You can't defend yourself, because if you could, you wouldn't be in this state. And you already got tricked by them once so what's stopping you from getting tricked again. I am not letting anyone else get hurt and kidnapped, and that's final."

"But-"

"I am not changing my mind." Jinsoul interjected with a stern tone, standing up straight and crossing her arms. "Deal with it."

"Sorry, Jiwoo..." Chaewon sympathized, but Jiwoo was already disappointed. She hated the fact that everyone else could help out while she had to be stuck here. While she understood Jinsoul's argument, Jiwoo knew she could handle herself, even if her past actions begged to differ. But there was no way she would start an argument over it since Jinsoul's glaring eyes implied that she was not in the mood. 

"Alright, does anyone have any questions before I say the last part?" Hyunjin waited for anyone to speak up but everyone remained silent. "Good, now onto the last stage. If we are successful in this plan, we now need a place to hide out. While this house is safe for now, there will be a hunt for Chaewon and us, so this location is not safe. Now, Jinsoul suggested that we could go over to the lumena dimension as Chaewon had the ability to get there. I need to ask if we are still aiming for that because we won't have time to discuss after the first phase is completed."

"Uh," Jungeun scratched her forehead. "I don't think we can-"

"Yes, we are!" Chaewon confirmed, making Jungeun and Hyejoo stare at her, dumbfounded. "We are working hard on it and I should be ready in three days."

"Well, I hope you're right because we won't have much time or much of a backup plan." Hyunjin reinforced skeptically. 

"Don't worry! I got this!"

*"Are you sure you're ready?"* Chaewon heard Hyejoo's voice in her head.

*"Yeah, I want to do this. You all are counting on me and I don't want to let you guys down. I know I can do it if I just try a little harder."*

Chaewon heard a sigh.

*"If you say so..."* 

"Now if there are no more questions," Hyunjin continued. "There's one thing that we can do today. I want you all to collect all of your stuff. We will each take turns going back to Earth and getting all of our belongings. Remember, we have to be quick in case any cult member is lurking around. So, Jinsoul, Jungeun, Chaewon, and Hyejoo can all go back to their apartment while Heejin and I go to our own. After we come back, Heejin can take Kahei, Jinsoul can take Jiwoo, and Jungeun can take Yeojin. Yeojin, bring anything you think Yerim would want to have with her, and Jiwoo, you do the same with Sooyoung. Haseul does not possess many belongings but if Jungeun wants to check out her home for anything valuable, she may."

Everyone nodded, fully content with the plan. They were worried about the result but if it were to be successful, then it would surely be victorious. This was their only shot so they had to make it count. 

As everyone left the office, only Jiwoo and Hyunjin were left. Jiwoo slowly limped her way over to Hyunjin, eager to ask her a question.

"Hey, Hyunjin?"

"Hmm?" Hyunjin looked up from the board that she was cleaning off. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry for causing a scene..." Jiwoo replied. "I just feel useless. I want to make up for my past actions but all I'm doing is letting you all clean up this mess. I really want to help you guys out but I understand that you think it's best for me to stay here..."

"I'm not mad or anything." Hyunjin affirmed. "Honestly, I admire your persistence. But right now, we just want you and everyone else safe. And don't look at it as us cleaning up after your mess. We are simply trying to stop a large cult who had the intention of changing our worlds while saving our friends in the process. If you weren't injured, we would totally bring you along. Actually, my plan was to have you come along with me and Jinsoul since you've been to the first base before, but your injuries kept me from including you. Maybe if you're better by then, you could come. But right now, we just want you to heal, okay? Don't take it personally."

"Oh... I understand."

Hyunjin patted Jiwoo's shoulder before stepping out of the office, leaving the redhead all by herself. Her eyes drifted to the bag on the floor, the same one that Heejin had taken that spray bottle out of. She found herself reaching into the bag and pulling out one of the bottles, examining it. Jiwoo then held the bottle close to her chest, clutching it tightly.

"I'm not going to let you down again."

***

Sooyoung sat in front of the wooden table. On both sides of two hybrids acting like guards, clutching tightly on her shoulder to keep her from standing. Gahyeon sat on the other side of the table, leg over the other and arms crossed. She stared at Sooyoung, smirking.

"I can't believe you risked yourself for those kids." Gahyeon finally spoke up. "You must really love them. That's admirable."

"Save me your bullshit." Sooyoung snapped. "It's not like I had a choice now did I?"

"Oh honey, I'm sorry." Gahyeon said dramatically through pouted lips. "It wasn't intentional. I just couldn't have you running off and babbling. As much as I love you, I can't let you escape that easily." 

"If you truly loved me, you would have never manipulated, drugged, and abused me for years, but here we are."

"Okay, listen, sweetie." Gahyeon's tone became serious. "You have disobeyed me too many times and I cannot let it slide any longer. Bora keeps defending you but even she is getting fed up with it. I know you don't agree with our ideals or methods and I never held it against you. Remember what we agreed on years ago after what happened with Kahei?"

"You told me that it was okay and that you didn't resent me for it."

"Precisely. And since that day, I have never punished you for it. But, you also promised not to disobey me in return. And for years, you kept that promise. However, as of recent, you have started to defy me. I expected you to be slightly rebellious - that's why I let it slide that you fell in love with Jiwoo instead of grooming her as promised. But when you attempt to get in the way of my main goal - the one I have been working towards ever since I have become the boss of this cult - then I turn less lenient. I have been looking for Haeun for over a decade and now I'm so close to finding her. I need Chaewon to finally complete my goal, but you keep letting her slip away."

"Because she doesn't deserve this!" Sooyoung protested. "Chaewon is innocent in all this. She never asked to be involved with all this drama. She just wants a normal life, that's all. I don't see why you have to keep bothering her."

"And I didn't deserve to have her taken away from me!" Gahyeon stood and slammed her hands on the desk, her eyes flashed bright red with a gold tint for a second. Sooyoung eyes widened by this sudden outburst, leaning back slightly. Gahyeon realized her mistake - quickly clearing her throat and straightening her clothes, sitting back down as if nothing happened. 

"Anyway," Gahyeon tried to cool herself down. "I'm not letting this girl slip away from me again, I hope you know that. Luckily, I know the kids are probably going to come and save you, as well as Yerim and Haseul. I bet that's going to fun. But in the meantime, I will allow you to go see your precious friends since you're going to be stuck here for a while. But first, I have something I need you for..."

"What?..."

"Siyeon, get in here!"

The door immediately opened after this was said, a woman walking through it. She had a large briefcase in her hand, which she placed on the table and snapped open. Siyeon took a large syringe out of it. She began to pour some sort of black liquid into the barrel of the syringe before putting the plunger back on. 

"I see you are intrigued by our little serum here." Gahyeon chuckled. "This baby was found out the SRPC building. Siyeon had been working behind the scenes on this development, eventually becoming the lead scientist. It took a long time but while your girlfriend came with her parents on that tour, it was finally completed. Unfortunately, it had to be used on Han Dong, who did suffer some minor injuries. However, this serum is exactly what we need for traitors like you."

"Wait a minute!" Sooyoung tried to stand up and get away but the grasp on her shoulders was too strong to break free. Gahyeon noticed this and snapped her fingers, causing the two guards to hold her hands to the arms of the chair, preventing more movement. As much as Sooyoung wanted to protest, she knew there was no use trying. There was no place for her to escape to, even if she made it out alive. Gradually, her resistance slowly faded away until she simply looked on in disgust.

"What are you going to do to me?" Sooyoung asked, voice breaking. 

"Oh, I don't want to spoil the surprise." Gahyeon teased. "However, it will hurt quite a bit in the beginning. Don't worry though - that necklace will take all of your pain away. Trust me, you'll love this..."

"Now hold still, sweetheart." Siyeon instructed as she brought the needle close to Sooyoung's skin. Sooyoung felt her heart beat frantically in her chest, breathing quickening. Whatever was going to happen to her, she only feared for the worst. Was she going to die? Sooyoung expected not to, but now she was unsure. All she knew was that, for the first time, Gahyeon had finally won over her.

Siyeon leaned into her ear, whispering in a deeper voice:

"Don't worry. This will only take a minute."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 27! Earlier this time since I finished the chapter a lot quicker than my other ones (I'm not sure why lol). But, that's a great thing nonetheless! So, the plan has finally been set for the rescue of Sooyoung, Yerim, and Haseul! Like I said previously, next chapter will be the last of PART 1, so expect a lot to happen next chapter! I'm so excited to share it with you guys! 
> 
> Another hint to PART 2 occured, and I hope you noticed the similarities between this hint and the one with Jinsoul. It doesn't make much sense now, but trust me when I say that it is significant in PART 2! I'm just so excited for the second part as it's a lot more magical and adventurous! All of the twelve girls will have significant roles in PART 2, so I'm very ecstatic! I know you all will love it! Like I said, it will released in the first week of September and will hopefully be updated on the same days as this part. I'm starting university then so I'll have to see which days work best for me based on class schedule, but for right now I think Wednesday and Sunday are staying! I'll update you all of there are any changes!
> 
> Last update of PART 1 on Sunday will include the final chapter, as well as a sneak peek of PART 2 and an a short summary about the oneshots I mentioned earlier!
> 
> (By the way, if you want to start suggesting oneshots [ REMEMBER they have to be based on this story ] then you can start commenting below! The most requested and my favorite ones will be chosen! It can be concepts like prequel stories, dates involving the already established relationships, some things mentioned in the story but not fully shown such as the play or the time the twelve girls spent in that holiday house, or anything creative!)
> 
> Tell me what you think in the comments!
> 
> Updates every Wednesday and Sunday!
> 
> For more info, please follow my insta: @gowhyejuu


	28. 𝒊 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> whether we have just met  
> or have known each other for years.  
> whether i am different from you  
> or the same.  
> as long as we are on the same page,  
> i will always stand behind you.  
> we are more alike they we may think.  
> and therefore, no matter what happens  
> for better or for worse  
> 𝒊 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know this hours later than usual, but I hope this long last chapter will make up for it!
> 
> REMEMBER THAT THIS IS NOT THE END! This is only Part 1! Remember to check out the end notes and the next page for more information!
> 
> Enjoy!

Chaewon opened her eyes as she no longer felt she was in bed anymore. As soon as the surroundings came into view and her senses returned - the colorful valley, sakura tree, and sweet lavender scent - she knew exactly where she was.

Chaewon stood up off the ground, taking a gander at the familiar scenery. Last time she came here, she had to witness the horrid memory of her parents grieving over her almost dead body, which is a reminiscence that would never be forgotten. So Chaewon was frightened what this lucid dream would bring this time. 

"It is wonderful to see you once more." 

Chaewon jumped when she heard a voice addressing her from behind. She immediately jerked her head around and saw a woman she had not seen in a long time. Standing there was a woman with long grey hair and pale skin. She was wearing the same white dress from the last time they had met - along with the white cloth that wrapped around her head and covered her eyes. The woman looked no different than last time, even down to the gentle smile she had worn on her face.

"It's...you." Chaewon simply said, unsure what to say. She had begun to lose hope that she would ever meet this woman again, especially after the last dream, so now seeing her once again seemed unbelievable.

"Yes, it is me." The woman chuckled. "Did you miss me?"

"Yes, I did! I have so many questions and worries that I wished you were here to help me with! Especially now when we have a crisis on our hands..."

"Ah, yes. You are referring to what will occur in only a few hours? The "Red Sun", correct?"

"Yeah, that!" Chaewon confirmed. Today was the day where she and the others would go and save their friends - along with attempting to hide out for who knows how long. Saying that she was nervous was an understatement. 

"So what questions do you have, child? What bothers you?" 

"Well, I was thinking if you could help me..." Chaewon bit her lip. "I don't know if you can help but I just need some advice..."

"What sort of advice?" 

"Well, I don't if I can do this..." Chaewon elaborated. "I don't know if I'll be able to help in saving my friends. I also have no clue if I'll be able to teleport to the lumena dimension as I promised. I just feel so useless and weak. I don't know how to express it but I'm so worried. What will happen if we fail? What will happen to our worlds if we do? It's like everything is resting on my shoulders."

"I understand how you feel." The woman nodded. "I have felt that way before. You may not be able to succeed in the way you hoped. You will experience hardships before, during, and after the whole ordeal - that is surely a given. But you must stay strong, child. The only way for you and your friends to come out of this triumphant is if you to be earnest in everything you do. You must be focused on whatever goal you want to accomplish and be sincere when you work towards it. Tell me, child - what is your aspiration?"

"I guess...it's to help my friends." Chaewon replied, pondering on her answer. "And also, to interfere with the cult's plans. But overall... I'm so confused about what my purpose or objective is."

"And that is alright. That is an answer you will overtime but those goals are not a bad place to start. What we will be doing is the start of a long journey of self-discovery and self-reflection, so it is expected for you to be confused. If you fail then there is a lesson to be learned. If you succeed then you are on the right track. I am not going to tell you that you are guaranteed to win. But, what I will tell you is that if you keep to the right mindset and remember what you are fighting for then you will reach a satisfactory conclusion."

"But what if I'm not satisfied?" Chaewon asked.

"Then you still have a lot to learn. Your objectives are not going to be accomplished just because you want it. Your goals will be completed once you have worked towards it. When you are satisfied and your mind is put to rest, then you know that you have succeeded. What you are feeling is normal because that means you are aware of what more you need to accomplish. This feeling will only change the more you learn. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, I guess." Chaewon hesitantly nodded. "I understand what you're saying. But I just don't know if I'll ever feel like I've accomplished anything. The more I succeed, the more pressure I feel. And right now, I just don't feel like I've done anything significant or anything that makes me worthy of this power."

"You may feel that way now but trust me. You will eventually discover your significance. There is a reason why you have this power. Yes, it was because Haeun was saving your life. But I have reason to believe that it was more to that. Maybe it will be you who will find the answer. But I can already tell that you have one thing that makes you even stronger than Haeun ever was."

"What?..."

"You have a group of friends that is there to give overwhelming support. From what I have seen, I can tell that they care for you very much. They are there to help you through this journey and seem to do so selflessly. They share the same views as you do, further showing your connection. Whether you fail or succeed, you will also have those friends to guide you forward. Another advice I can provide is to never push them away. No matter how downhearted you feel, you should never stray away from the people who support you the most. You never know - they may even help you discover more aspects of yourself."

"Trust me, I'll never push them away." Chaewon agreed with no debate. "Honestly, I would have never gotten this far without them. I am too lucky to know them that sometimes I feel like I don't deserve them."

"Well, you do." The woman smiled. "You have a long journey ahead, child. But there is no doubt in my mind that you will do well....even better than I ever could."

Chaewon was about to thank her but immediately paused when she heard the final phrase. 

"Did you say... "I"?..." 

"Oh, did I say that?" The woman giggled. "Well, I suppose it was time I become more upfront. I assume you should know now who I am."

"Wait a minute..." Chaewon's eyes widened. "You're Haeun, aren't you?..."

The woman wasted no time to respond, nodding in confirmation.

"Indeed I am."

Now everything made sense. It would explain why this woman seemed so familiar but also so foreign at the same time. Chaewon knew that Haeun's soul was a part of her but she never thought she would see her face to face. 

"So, now I have even more questions!" Chaewon got excited, making Haeun laugh.

"Ask away, child."

"Okay, okay." Chaewon had a million questions she wanted to ask but she knew that she did not have time. So, she decided to settle for a few essential and relevant questions and save the rest for another time.

"Alright, first question." Chaewon announced. "Why could I see those visions? Clearly, it's your memories but it felt so strange being able to see them myself."

"Well, it is a combined of several things." Haeun began to explain. "Whatever you sense, I can sense and vice versa. So when you touched the item, it reminded me of what occurred during that time. The necklace helps you fully engaged with the memory, almost turning it into a lucid dream like this one."

"And those items...you gave them out to several people. Why?"

"For multiple reasons. Every person I have them to were friends from long ago."

"So, Sana is your friend?"

"Yes, she is." Haeun smiled as if she was reminiscing. "We had many adventures together. Honestly, I truly miss her. I never called her a friend at the time but regretfully I wish I did. There are a lot of things I regret but that is in the past now and can never be changed."

"Either way, she really seemed to be fond of you." 

"Possibly." Haeun bowed her head. "Do you have any other questions?"

"Oh, well there is another one that has been worrying me for the past month..." Chaewon began with uncertainty, unsure of how to relay her thoughts. "Why do they want me - or you, I suppose - and how do they know you?"

"I cannot answer the second question but I do know how to answer the first, even if partially." Haeun lifted her head, releasing a sigh. "Trust me when I say that they are not after you - it is me that they are looking for. I am not fully sure what they need from me. It could be because of the power I hold as one of the last lumena able to be reached. Or maybe it has something to do with my...past actions. There is a lot they could need. All I know is that what they want should not be given to them at any cost. It could be dangerous if what I have gets into the wrong hands."

"I figured." Chaewon sighed. "All of this is just so petrifying. It's scary to think that these people are after you, which in turn means that they are after me."

"Even though I am not with you in the real world, I can still help you in other ways." Haeun offered. "For example, you say that you are worried about whether or not you would be able to reach my dimension."

"Wait, you were the one who whispered to me when I was trying to teleport, right?"

"Correct." Haeun nodded. "I have limits in this form but I can have a small influence on your powers. Remember when you and your friends were in that shed and all of a sudden you were able to become invisible?"

"So that's how I could do that!" Chaewon gasped as she remembered. It was very strange at the time since it was seemingly convenient for the situation. 

"Yes, but I have limits. Even when I was attempting to make you and your friends invisible, it was extremely difficult and cause me to enter this limbotic state. I only have slight control over what I can do to help you, but I try my best to make the most of it. So do not worry about the teleportation part. When the time comes, I will assist as much as I can. Reaching my dimension is an arduous task as it is farther away from any other dimension, so I understand the stress you feel. When the time comes, leave it to me, child."

"Okay." Chaewon smiled. She was indebted for this undeserved kindness, wishing she could pay her back in some way.

"Well, our time together is coming to an end." Haeun announced. "It is almost time for you to wake up and face the challenging day ahead of you."

"Aw," Chaewon whined. She truly wanted to stay a lot longer since she had so many questions she still needed to ask. But Chaewon could feel herself starting to fade away, indicating that she was waking up in the real world. 

"I am saddened that we have to stay goodbye." Haeun walked up to Chaewon, stroking the top of her head and looking at her with captivated eyes. "But this will not be the last time we will meet, especially since your transformation is almost complete. When we meet again, it will be less hectic, I promise."

"It won't be months like this time, right?"

"No, it will not." Haeun chuckled. "We will see each other sooner than you may think."

***

"Alright, everybody, listen up." 

Everyone turned their attention towards Hyunjin, who was standing in the middle of the living room. She took a moment before continuing, taking a deep breath while collecting her thoughts. 

"It's time," Hyunjin declared strictly. "Right now, there is no turning back. We only have one shot at this so there is no room for mistakes. Does everyone understand what they need to do?"

Everyone nodded simultaneously. What they all needed to do was straightforward. For the most part, as long as they stuck to the plan they would be able to succeed with not much issue. However, how they would be able to save their friends was still up in the air. All they knew was the location, which they were familiar with. But they did not know who or how many people would be there, or where their friends are being held. So, when they get there, they would have to strategize as they went along. 

"Okay then," Hyunjin spoke up after seeing all the nods. "Let's make this as quick as possible. Since the cult is after us, we cannot spend too much time on Earth."

"We don't know what to expect when you get there so always be on guard." Jinsoul added. "We cannot afford to lose anyone else."

"Exactly, so if there are no questions, let's go." 

Chaewon immediately felt a lump in her throat. While everyone else seemed confident, she was still striving to be. While Haeun had given her advice and she genuinely appreciated it, no amount of comfort would make her feel any better. Chaewon had never been in a situation even partially close to what she was about to do, and the fact that they could not make any faults only added to the pressure. 

"Hey," Hyejoo put a hand on Chaewon's shoulder, bringing the blonde out of her thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah, of course!" Chaewon laughed awkwardly, making Hyejoo lift an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm not?"

"You know, you aren't good at hiding your emotions." Hyejoo noted, not buying the act. "You were just standing there with a worried expression for over a minute."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot..." Chaewon sighed. "But yeah, I'm really scared right now. I guess this whole dilemma is just getting to me..."

"I don't blame you." Hyejoo accorded. "I'm just as horrified as you are. I wish there was another way but we have no choice. I know this is a troublesome situation to be in but I believe we can do it."

"What makes you think we can?"

"I don't know. I just have a hunch." Hyejoo shrugged. "I mean, we made it this far even though we're inexperienced with all this. With all the help we've already gotten, I think we have a chance, even if it's small. But, in the end, there's only one way to find out. It's better to try than just give up."

Hyejoo did have a point. Sometimes it was hard to believe that they have made it this far with this whole ordeal. What was even more shocking was how much assistance they have gotten along the way. From Sana, to Jungeun's great-grandmother, to her own parents - they have received more help than they deserved. So maybe they were meant to have a chance of reaching a positive outcome. Even as Haeun had said - there is no guarantee for how this will turn out. There is both the likelihood of success and failure, none of them denied that. But one thing was for sure - this was not the end of their journey, rather the beginning. Even after they save their friends, they know that will not stop the cult from their horrid schemes. This was only the first step and if Chaewon was being honest, she was actually eager for what was ahead of her.

"You're right." Chaewon lips curled up into a smile. "I'm still a little anxious but I feel more sure of myself. We have to save our friends. And, if I'm being honest, I'm really happy that you guys will be with me."

"Me too." Hyejoo smiled back. 

"Aww! Me too!" Out of nowhere, Jungeun launched herself onto Chaewon and brought her into a bone-crushing hug. 

"I'm usually not the emotional type," Jinsoul began as she side-hugged Hyejoo. "But, I'm thankful that I have you all."

"OMG! Are you doing a group hug??" Yeojin immediately got excited, rushing up to the four of them and hugging them. "Come on, guys! Bring it in!"

Both Kahei and Jiwoo shrugged but smiled and joined in the group hug. That all but left Heejin and Hyunjin, who were standing there with their arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"Come on!" Jungeun urged. "Isn't this such a nice moment?"

"Our three friends are kidnapped and the dimensions as we know it might face massive destruction, and you guys want to hug?" Hyunjin said bluntly, glaring at them.

"Well, when you put it that way...yes!"

"And this is why I sometimes want to get new friends..." Heejin commented, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, can you cut the bullshit and actually get going?"

"Wait!" Chaewon announced, pushing out of the hug. "Let me say bye to my parents first!"

Earlier this morning, Jungeun, along with Kahei and Yeojin had gone to get Sana, Chaewon's parents, and her pets. Luckily, Sana has been taken care of both of her pets while they were gone so they were both safe. It seemed like in the few days they had been gone, the pets seemed to have gained a connection with Sana - which was obvious by how Bbomi and Nari literally clung onto her. Both of Chaewon's parents were confused at first but understood the severity of the situation quite quickly. They mostly stayed out of her way, just giving her luck from the sidelines. But since Chaewon had barely seen them within the last few years, it was nice to see them so soon, even if for a little while. 

Chaewon left the living room and entered the kitchen. Both of her parents were sitting there, eating lunch while conversing. Sana was busy cooking her own food, only looking up from the stove when she heard Chaewon's footsteps.

"Hey, Chaewon!" Sana said cheerfully. "You guys are leaving right?" 

"Yes, we are!" Chaewon confirmed. "I just want to say goodbye to my parents before I leave."

Chaewon walked up to her parents, who were both smiling as she reached the table. 

"Hello, sweetie." Chaewon's mother spoke up. "You're ready to leave?"

"Yes, I just want to say goodbye first." Chaewon tried to look positive but could not hide the melancholy that was conveyed through her facial expression. Maybe it was the severity of the situation getting to her or something else, but facing her parents only made it worse.

"You look sad, honey. What's wrong?" Chaewon's father noticed, frowning along with her.

"I don't know, I just... I don't know what will happen when we get there..." Chaewon stammered out, looking downwards and avoiding eye contact. "So, um, if something happens I just want to let you know that I..."

"Chaewon." Chaewon's father interjected, understanding what Chaewon was trying to say. "You aren't going to fail, we know that."

"But how do you know that?" Chaewon questioned. "I could be..."

"You won't." Chaewon's father brought his daughter into a hug, comforting her. "I know you won't..."

"We both know you won't..." Chaewon's mother joined in the hug. 

Chaewon let the melancholy bubble over as the tears she had been holding back had finally broken out. She tried to hold it together but could no longer bear with the trepidation. She was afraid but she was overwhelmingly thankful for all the people who tried to comfort her. With all this support, Chaewon was feeling more assured than she did a few days ago but, even then, she could halt the lingering fear at the back of her mind. 

"Thank you..." Chaewon pulled back from the hug, smiling brightly. "I'll try my best...just for you guys..."

"Don't do it for us." Chaewon's mother advised. "Do it for yourself. You don't need to prove something to us. Instead, prove to yourself that you can beat the odds and succeed."

"Okay..." Chaewon nodded, taking what her mother said to heart. "I will."

Chaewon fully pulled away from the hug, nodding firmly. She looked at them one last time before walking out of the kitchen, ready to join her friends. But when she was about to exit, a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Good luck." Sana encouraged. "But remember, do not step anywhere near that sun design you encountered last time. If they fully activate it when you're in the center, then Haeun's soul and your own soul will be separated, which will be fatal. Avoid that area at all costs."

"I will." Chaewon affirmed before giving Sana a brief hug. "Thanks for your help."

"No need to thank me." Sana reassured. "I am just... fulfilling a goal on behalf of a friend."

"Well, just letting you know that from talking to this friend, it is clear that she appreciates it too."

Sana looked at her with wide eyes and parted lips. After a few seconds, her eyes crinkled along with her nose, smiling appreciatively as she comprehended what Chaewon was telling her.

"See you soon." Sana waved farewell as Chaewon walked away. As Chaewon returned to her friends, she felt confidence - a lot more than she did a few hours ago. While she was still unversed in what she was up against, Chaewon was ready to face them as long as she had her friends and family by her side.

Chaewon was glad that she had wonderful people to stand by her side.

***

Yerim was woken up by the sound of her cell door unlocking. She heard the loud creaking noise, signifying the door being open. She held her breath as she was unsure of who it was or what they wanted.

"Rise and shine, kids. Get up." A familiar sounding woman had instructed. From hearing that same voice for almost two weeks, Yerim already knew who the voice belonged to. 

Yerim could hear Minji's footsteps get louder and agonizingly slower as she walked to her and Haseul. But, Yerim also heard additional footsteps, these ones being more inconsistent and lighter. 

"You have a visitor." Minji sang before chuckling. "I think you all will be happy to see her."

Suddenly, the additional footsteps were halted by a thud sound, indicating that that person had hit the ground. Minji was delighted by this as Yerim could hear her let out a fiendish laugh. 

"I hope you all will enjoy yourselves." Minji said between laughs. "Hmm...I guess your friends aren't going to save you. What a shame."

"They are going to save us!" Yerim retorted, refusing to believe the assumption. "They're probably on their way here right now!"

"I'm shocked you still hold onto such hopes. But, I would advise you to let go of them. In a mere few hours, it will be too late for anyone to save you. Our plan is almost complete, little one. You might as well as consider yourself forgotten."

"You won't get away with this!" 

"Oh honey," Yerim could hear footsteps, seemingly meaning that Minji was walking away from her. "We already have."

Then the cell door was shut and locked again, leaving Yerim, Haseul, and whoever Minji had brought into the room. 

"Hello?" Yerim called out to the unknown figure. "Are you still there, person?" 

There was no response at first, making Yerim fearful of who they were. But then she heard shifting on the floor and someone shuffling closer to her. That person had grabbed hold of her blindfold, seemingly untying the knot at the back of it. Seconds later, the blindfold was completely untied and fell away from her eyes, finally allowing her sight after a week of not having it. The first thing Yerim was greeted with was the identity of the person who entered the room with Minji.

"S-Sooyoung?..." Yerim stuttered, utterly stunned. "You're here?..."

"Yeah, I am." Sooyoung confirmed. "You're not hurt, are you? I know it's been a while since we last saw you and... I can't imagine what they could've done to you."

"I'm not hurt! Well, besides a few cuts here and there, along with some parts of my body that are aching a bit, but I'm not hurt too badly." Yerim replied. 

"What about this?" Sooyoung pointed to the bandage on Yerim's shoulder. Yerim had forgotten about it over her time here since there were more important things to worry about.

"Oh, that happened before I got kidnapped..." Yerim responded. "I had a little confrontation with Minji and she, well, was not in the best of moods. But it doesn't hurt or anything."

"Okay, good." Sooyoung sighed in relief. Knowing this cult for years, she knew what they were capable of doing to their prisoners, especially those who were human. 

"Hey, Haseul!" Yerim called out, turning to her quiet friend. "Sooyoung is here to-" 

Yerim stopped talking when she saw her friend sitting in the corner. Throughout the time they had been in this cell, Yerim had no idea of what Haseul had looked like. Now that she could see again, she now knew what state the frost hybrid was in. All over her arms and legs were blemishes and bruises, appearing to be days old. On her left cheek was a deep scar that looked to be scratch marks, as if an animal had attacked her. Both Yerim and Haseul were dirty and messy from their stay here, but Haseul looked even more disheveled than Yerim was, with torn clothes and scruffy hair. Clearly what the cult had done to Haseul was a lot worse than what was done to Yerim.

"Haseul!!" Yerim exclaimed, crawling her way over to Haseul. "What happened to you?..."

"I already told you..." Haseul began to say as Yerim began to untie her blindfold. "I had to receive punishment for my crimes."

"Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?!" Yerim asked as she pulled the blindfold away from Haseul's eyes, that were looking downwards. 

"It is not like you would be able to help." Haseul replied. "Besides, what is done is done. There is nothing more you can do."

"It must have been hurting you!" Yerim examined all of the bruises. "You were sitting here so silent most of the time... I thought that you were in the same state as me but...this is so much worse..."

"Haseul, what happened?" Sooyoung asked as she made her way to the two of them. 

"As I said, it was a punishment." Haseul replied. "When I left you all, I knew what was going to happen. I had said that I had to go handle a few things before returning and this was what I was referring to. They beat me up for a while, especially Minji, and I had to take it. I know resistance will only get me killed or all of you killed, so I struggled through. But, I will be fine. I am already healing."

"But, why do they want to punish you?" Sooyoung asked. Even though these people are mostly heartless, they never go after people unless they had direct interference with their plans. As far as Sooyoung knew, Haseul was the least involved with what was going on compared to the rest of them. 

"Yeah, you didn't do anything!" Yerim protested, angered. 

"In actuality, I did." Haseul confessed with a sigh. "It is a long story that we do not have time to discuss but... I am involved, at least in the beginning. After I failed them, this was their response. Just like Sooyoung, I too trusted the wrong people out of my naivety and desperation. I would...rather not discuss."

Sooyoung and Yerim turned to each other in concern. Clearly, whatever had occurred back then must have been awful since Haseul refused to talk about it and the cult really seemed to resent her for it. 

"Anyway, it will be okay!" Yerim reassured. "Because Sooyoung is going to save us, right?"

"Uh..." Sooyoung sighed. "Sadly, I don't know how."

"Wait, you don't??" 

Sooyoung shook her head. "Nope."

"Wait, but, our friends are going to save us, right?"

"Yeah, they are. I'm just not sure if they'll be able to..."

"Have faith in them!" Yerim encouraged. "They'll make it here for sure!"

"How do you know?" Sooyoung asked doubtfully.

"Because I have a good sense of these things!" Yerim affirmed. She did have always have a skill of making closely accurate predictions - the fact that she was able to detect Minji and Gahyeon was an example of that. So, she truly believed that her friends were nearby.

"In fact," Yerim continued. "I bet they're breaking in right now!"

***

"So...how are we going to break in there?" Chaewon asked, keeping a sharp eye on the cave's entrance. There were four guards standing there, each with a firm stance and emotionless face. The guards were keeping a vigilant eye on the area, causing them to have to hide behind a bush several feet away. Heejin, Chaewon, and Hyejoo had arrived here not long ago, along with Jungeun who had decided to join them since her initial role was completed. Maybe with four people, they would have a higher chance, which would be even higher once Jinsoul and Hyunjin arrived.

"Well, there's only way of getting through." Heejin began to suggest. "Chaewon, you have to use your invisibility power, then we'll sneak past them. You can do it, right?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so..."

"What do you mean "think so"?" Heejin questioned. "You have practiced it, right?"

"We did but..." Chaewon sighed. "Out of the dozens of times I tried, only three times were successful. So, I can but it's not predictable. Plus, I can only hold it for about five to ten minutes."

"Well, we have no other choice if we don't want to cause any commotion."

"Chaewon, I'm sure you can do it!" Jungeun heartened. "Just focus."

"Yeah, and make it quick." Heejin warned. "We don't have time."

"Okay, I can do it." Chaewon asserted, trying to sound confident. She knew she could do the invisibility spell, she was already done it a couple of times before. It just depended on how long it would take. So, Chaewon tried to focus so it would not have to take as long as last time. Everyone remained quiet, allowing her to concentrate. A few minutes later, Chaewon could feel something familiar bubbling up inside her. She opened her eyes a minute later, enthused to see the golden light that surrounded them - which flickered a couple of times before stabilizing.

"I think it worked!" Chaewon stated. "But I'm not sure how it will last..."

"You said it would last for about ten minutes so we better make it quick." Heejin strongly advised as she stood from behind the bush.

"You can hold onto the spell for that long, right babe?" Hyejoo asked Chaewon, watching the nervous expression on her face.

"Yeah, I can." Chaewon nodded. "As long as I stay focused."

"Them let's get in there and save them!" Jungeun declared as they stepped from behind the bush. They had to make sure to keep physical contact with each other in order for all of them to stay invisible. If Chaewon were to stop touching them, then the spell would break. So, both Hyejoo and Heejin held Chaewon's hands, and Jungeun held onto Hyejoo's arm - allowing them to all to become undetectable. 

They reached the entrance of the cave where the four guards stood. Luckily, it was possible to walk through people and objects when in the invisible form, similar to a ghost. So all they had to do was walk through the guards, which they did so successfully. It felt strange like they had entered into a gust of cold wind, but there was no time to dwell on it.

Entering the cave, it was clear that the cult had gotten comfortable in this place. Hybrids walked around casually, most of them carrying various items in their hands. What surprised the four of them the most was the varying ages of the cult members. Some of them looked to be in their thirties - which was how all hybrids looked after they reached such age, so they could even be centuries old - while others looked to be no older than ten or eleven. Just like Sooyoung had warned, it seemed like Gahyeon had a skill of racking up members. Chaewon wondered if these kids even knew what they were getting into since every child she saw acted cheerful and nonchalant. 

"Poor kids..." Chaewon whispered to herself. "I bet they don't even know what they're doing..."

"They don't..." Jungeun agreed. "Most hybrid children, as well as their parents, are oblivious to the dangers of these cults. Parents often send their children to these people as a way of "raising them properly". Or, if the child is neglected, that child will often seek refuge here just like with Sooyoung."

"Also, if the society they grew up in has a norm of despising humans, then most join these cuts to help out." Heejin added. "So most children just think they are doing the right thing. That also brings in centuries-old hybrids with radical views that all humans deserve to suffer."

"Wow..." Chaewon frowned as she watched two young hybrids running around playfully. They probably did not even know of the danger they were in, which made her feel more upset. 

"Let's move forward." Hyejoo suggested. "We don't have much time to waste." 

So the four of them trekked on, moving through all the hybrids to find their friends. Hopefully, Sooyoung, Yerim, and Haseul were close by. 

They made it to a large opening in the cave, which was the same place they had entered last time and had that whole magical display occurred. But this time, it looked a lot different from two months ago. For starters, there were hybrids everywhere, about a hundred people occupying the space. Some of them were standing in a line, patiently waiting for whatever was at the front of it.

From where Chaewon was standing, she could see one of the hybrids reaching the front of the line, where a woman in a lab coat had asked them to sit down. That woman had taken out a syringe from inside a case, bringing it towards the hybrid's arm that was laid out on the table next to them. As soon as the needle entered the hybrid's arm, they let out a blood-curdling scream. The hybrid began to convulse and wail out, no longer being able to sit still.

After a minute, something peculiar occurred. The hybrid began to glow dark blue, as well as their wide-open eyes and the necklace around their neck. Another minute later, the glowing stopped and the woman smiled in satisfaction. She gave the hybrid another shot, which made the convulsions and shrieking stop and allowed the poor hybrid to relax and breathe out in relief. But the woman did not appear to have any sympathy for the hybrid, only focusing her attention towards the necklace around their neck as she began to unlatch it. With the necklace in hand, the woman put into a bag that appeared to already be filled with similar jewelry.

"Thank you for your contribution." The woman said, a smirk growing on her lips. "Our saviors will be very pleased with your offering."

And with that said, the hybrid nodded obediently and stood up from the chair, promoting the next hybrid to take their place and the cycle continued and more screams echoed through the cave space. 

"What is this?!" Chaewon exclaimed, completely disgusted and horrified by what she had witnessed. 

"I don't know..." Jungeun spoke unsurely. "Probably has something to do with what they're planning for today."

"We don't have time to figure it out." Hyejoo stressed. "We can find out more later but we have to get our friends before this spell wears out." 

"Let's hope it can wait." Heejin agreed as they moved forward and through the space. Just in case, they made sure to avoid the sun carving in the middle of the room, which seemed to be the only feature that remained the same after two months. They reached another opening at the back of the room, which appeared to lead down another long walkway. 

"Let's hurry." Heejin instructed as they began to walk through the tunnel.

Chaewon took one last glance at the hybrids before following them. Originally, she did not expect to see much other than what she had observed. 

But what was strange was that Chaewon could have sworn that she saw a familiar little girl skip past the other entrance. 

***

"Nothing." 

Jinsoul slammed the bottom drawer closed, letting out another groan.

"I had a feeling that they would not leave anything behind." Hyunjin sighed as she continued to look through the desk drawers. They had got into the office about twenty minutes ago, arriving at the base only ten minutes earlier. They seemed to have left everything behind, even the key that got into the place, which seemed strange at first. But actually getting into the base made them realized why they left the place behind so easily. There was nothing left, not even a sheet of paper was lying around this place. Clearly, they paid extra attention to leave this place spotless.

"We might as well join the others." Jinsoul suggested. "There is nothing for us here and we can't waste any more time."

"But there's got to be something in here." Hyunjin continued to search. "Maybe they left something, anything, behind that they had forgotten. I don't want any regrets."

"Well, one more minute and we're leaving." Jinsoul demanded. "We need to help the others."

"Fine, only a minute." Hyunjin agreed. She continued to go through every drawer, double-checking it to make sure she did not forget anything. That was until Hyunjin rechecked the top drawer on the right side of the desk. She realized that there was something stuck in the back of the drawer. Hyunjin picked up the item out of the drawer and turned it over to see what it was. And what she saw was something she did not expect.

"It's a photo." Hyunjin stated, making Jinsoul tilt her head and walk over to her. 

"Who is that?" Jinsoul asked, examining the photo. There was a woman in the photo, with long blonde hair and brown eyes. In some ways, she looked similar to Chaewon but also looked different enough for them to tell it was not her. Since it was not in black-and-white, that would mean it had to be within the last few decades. But considering how stained and scratched up the photo was, it could not be recent. 

"Obviously someone important if Gahyeon has it." Hyunjin theorized. "I haven't seen Gahyeon much, besides the time I went over to Jiwoo's house and she was there. But I can tell that this woman isn't her."

"Then we have another mystery on our hands." Jinsoul concluded. "Put the photo in her pocket. We'll figure it out later. We have to go before anyone comes back here."

Hyunjin agreed and put the photo in her pocket, having to address it later. They did not want to have to confront any cult member, especially since they were unprepared. They had to make it to the cave before their friends made it out in case there were any altercations with the escape. Hopefully, there was nothing else left in here.

"Alright, let's go." Hyunjin stood up from the ground, ready to walk out. "Hopefully the others are doing well right now."

They were about to leave the office until they could footsteps coming down the hallway and towards where they were. Jinsoul reacted quickly and pulled Hyunjin behind the desk to hide. They hid behind the desk as the hybrid entered the office. They could not see who it was, but based on the growling that could be heard they knew that the hybrid was not friendly. Eventually, Jinsoul peered above the desk so she could see who they were up against. The hybrid did not look particularly intimidating but based on the completely black eyes and teeth bared, they could not be reasoned with. But the hybrid did not look like they were going to leave anytime soon so they would have to do something fast before they found them. 

Jinsoul looked at Hyunjin and mouthed the words "I'm going to handle them", hoping that she will understand the silent communication. After receiving a nod of confirmation, Jinsoul prepares herself to ambush them, conjuring up a water ball in her hands. She peaked again to see where they were so she could aim. As soon as Jinsoul saw the hybrid turn around and get close to the desk, she flung the water ball at the hybrid's face. With the force she used to throw it, it made the hybrid cover their eyes for a few seconds and step backward. 

While the hybrid was temporarily blinded, Jinsoul jumped from behind the desk and held onto their shoulders while bringing one leg behind them. She swept her leg around and knocked their ankles, causing the hybrid to fall backward and hit the ground hard. Jinsoul held the hybrid down to keep them from standing back up, as well as sitting on the hybrid's torso with legs on either side. The hybrid clearly did not like this as they growled and snarled in her face, struggling to push Jinsoul off of them. 

"Hyunjin! Use the spray!" Jinsoul demanded, trying to act quickly before the hybrid could overpower her. Hyunjin moved out from behind the desk and took out the spray from her backpack, pointing it at the hybrid's face. She sprayed a little bit into their face, hoping that the scent of it will calm them down like with Heejin months back. It did work since as soon as the hybrid took a whiff of the flower spray, their body began to relax and the struggling stopped. Their eyes turned from all black to normal - white sclera and light brown irises. They stopped growling and instead let out a sigh of relief as if a large weight has been lifted off their shoulders. 

"Oh my god." The hybrid breathed out. "Thank you so much..."

"Were you sent by Gahyeon?" Jinsoul asked, keeping her firm clutch on the hybrid's shoulders. 

"Most likely, yes..." The hybrid responded. "I don't remember anything... I was talking to Gahyeon one second... And then I blacked out..."

"So, you were not aware of your actions?"

"No, not all." The hybrid shook their head. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble... Gahyeon always does this to everyone... Whenever someone does not want to confront or kill people, she drugs them..."

"Then why don't you leave?" Hyunjin asked.

"No one leaves the cult. If you do, it's like a death sentence. Either they kill you or the police will by Gahyeon sending them evidence of your drugged wrongdoings."

"That's understandable. But you're not on Gahyeon's side, correct?"

"Not at all! I would have left years ago!" 

Jinsoul and Hyunjin turned to each other and nodded in agreement.

"Then wouldn't mind telling us more about the cult." Jinsoul inferred. 

"Of course! I'll tell you guys anything!" The hybrid nodded, seemingly eager to tell.

"Then answer a few questions..."

***

Hyejoo turned the corner at the end of the long tunnel. As soon as she saw the two guards standing in front of a metal door, she knew that they found the place. 

"Looks like we found them." Hyejoo announced as she turned to the others. "They're behind a metal door with two hybrids in front."

"Easy, we'll just walk through the door and get them." Heejin suggested, ready to go before Jungeun stopped them. 

"If the guards hear a commotion in there, they are going to get suspicious and open it." Jungeun commented. "Either we have to try extremely hard to stay silent or we can get them distracted."

"I think we just have to-"

"Wait!" Chaewon warned and everyone looked at her confusedly. She looked down at the gold light that surrounded them, which began to flicker. Eventually, the light went away entirely. Before they commented on it, Hyejoo led them further into the tunnel to make sure they were not heard.

"Fuck, Chaewon!" Heejin whispered. "Can you bring it back?"

"I can try, but you have to give me a minute." Chaewon responded, starting to try again.

As Chaewon began to cast the invisibility spell again, the four women suddenly heard a gasp coming from behind. They jerked their head around to see a familiar little girl standing there, completely stunned.

"Yuri?" Jungeun recognized. 

Yuri blinked. "You guys are Haseul's-" 

"Shhh! Yes, we are but please whisper." 

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Yuri began whispering. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Long story but Haseul and two of our other friends were kidnapped and trapped behind that door." Hyejoo responded. "We're here to save them."

"Wait, Haseulie is in there?" Yuri frowned. "They said there were criminals in there! They lied to me!"

"They have lied about a lot of things..." Heejin mumbled to herself.

"We can get in there easily," Chaewon began. "But, we need those two guards over there to leave."

"Which guards?" Yuri asked before walking down the tunnel and looking past the corner. She grinned and returned back to them, excitement on her face. "I know them!"

"You do?"

"Yeah, that's my sister's friends: Minji and Yoohyeon!" Yuri replied. 

While Jungeun, Chaewon, and Hyejoo did not know her, Heejin remembered Yuri's sister vividly. Obviously from seeing her pick up Yuri during play rehearsal and for...other reasons; but those reasons did not need to be brought up here.

"I can distract them for you if you want!" Yuri suggested. "They like me a lot, anyway!"

"Sure, you can do that! Thank you!" Jungeun smiled. 

"No problem! Just leave it to me!" 

Yuri left the group and went back down the tunnel, with the others following close behind. The four of them waited as the little girl turned the corner and walked up to the two women.

"Yuri?" The dark purple haired woman said. "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be with Yubin, your sister."

"Well, I-I..." Yuri began to do what she did best. She began sniffling, lips quivering and fingers wiping away fake tears. 

"Woah, what's wrong, kid?" The blonde had asked, crouching down to Yuri's level. 

"I had a b-bad dream..." Yuri stuttered. "And now I can't nap anymore..."

"Well, why can't you tell your sister about this?" The dark purple haired woman asked.

"Because... It was a-about you guys..." Yuri sniffled. "You two were trying to kill me... And it felt so real..."

"Aw, Yuri!" The blonde cooed. "We wouldn't hurt you!"

"I know b-but...can you guys help me go back to sleep?..."

"We can't right now, sweetheart." The blonde responded. "We have to guard these prisoners. Maybe get your sister or someone else to do it?"

"B-But..." Yuri started to burst out into tears, sobbing so loud that it echoed into the tunnel. The two women, clearly regretful for what they had caused, were quick to comfort the distressed child. 

"Okay, okay!" The purple-haired woman sighed. "We'll take you to bed! But only for a few minutes!" 

"Th-Thank you..." Yuri whispered as the two women held her hand began to walk her in the other direction and away from the metal door.

"I hope this will be quick..." The blonde said as they continued to walk down the walkway. The four of them waited until they turned the other corner before springing into action.

"Alright, Chaewon? Is the spell ready?" Heejin asked but was answered by the glowing golden light that was engulfing them.

"It's stable, right?" Hyejoo asked and Chaewon nodded.

"Yes, it's fine." Chaewon confirmed. "But let's make it quicker this time." 

They all nodded as they left the corner and walked to the metal door. Now that they were in their ghost-like state, they walked through the metal door with ease.

As soon as they entered, they could see all three of their friends. Both Sooyoung and Haseul were sleeping on the cold floor while Yerim was sitting down and watching the door anxiously. She seemed to be anticipating something with her narrows eyes fixed on the door.

"Come on..." Yerim murmured. "I know you all will be here to save us... I just know it..."

As soon as they knew what Yerim was talking about, they turned to each other and smiled as Chaewon lifted the invisible spell, allowing for them to be seen. Yerim instantly noticed them, making her jump back against the wall as she quietly screamed. Seconds later, she realized that it was her friends and she sat there wordlessly.

"Hey, Yerim." Chaewon waved as grinned. Yerim went from sitting there expressionless to her eyes welling up with overjoyed tears.

"You guys are here!!" Yerim exclaimed as she began sobbing in felicity. "I knew you all would come to save us!!" 

The loud crying caused both Sooyoung and Haseul to wake up, groaning as they sat up.

"Yerim?..." Sooyoung lifted her head to look at the younger. "Why are you-"

Sooyoung stopped her question when she saw the four women standing at the door. Both she and Haseul stood there in awe, not expecting that this would ever happen.

"You guys made it!" Sooyoung exclaimed. "But how? There are hundreds in here!"

"Chaewon can do invisibility!" Jungeun replied. "We became similar to ghosts and just walked in here. We got Yuri's help to lead the guards away just as an extra precaution. You guys are safe, don't worry." 

"But let's hurry and get you guys out of here before they come back and check on you." Heejin strongly advised. 

Chaewon went over to Yerim and began to untie the rope that was around her hand and wrist, as well as Jungeun with Haseul. As soon as Yerim's hands were untied, she threw herself onto Chaewon, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you!!" Yerim repeated over and over. "I missed you so much, Chaewon!"

"Me too..." Chaewon hugged her back before pulling back and saying: "And I'm sure Yeojin will too. She was devastated when she heard you were kidnapped."

"Yeah, I figured..." Yerim sighed. "I miss her too... But I'll make it up to her when we get back! We can get back, right?"

"We can." Heejin responded. "Chaewon will turn us all invisible and then we'll make a run for it. We'll be out of here in a few minutes."

"Thank you all so much..." Sooyoung spoke up. "Honestly, I thought you would have to leave us behind..."

"We would never." Hyejoo retorted. "Besides, we just found you after a year. We're not letting you slip away from us that easily."

"I would hope not." Sooyoung joked, causing them both to laugh. It had been over a year since they got to talk to each other like this, and even if it was short, it was nice to joke just like the old days.

"Alright, let's going." Jungeun declared as untied Haseul's rope. All of them stood up with a little help and started to head towards the door as Chaewon began to the spell again. However, there was one person that did not move along with them.

"Haseul?" Jungeun looked at the quiet hybrid, who, despite standing up, stood in the corner and did not make an effort to walk forwards.

"You all should go without me." Haseul stated, refusing to look at them. "I must stay here."

"No, Haseul!" Heejin protested. "We are all going! We know that Gahyeon said this is "for your punishment" but you don't deserve to be here! Now, come on!"

"No, I should not." Haseul looked downwards at her feet. "I don't deserve to be set free. I am a criminal just as much as the people you hate. I deserve to be locked up forever and never see the light of day."

"I am sorry but I simply cannot-"

"No, you listen up, Haseul!" Yerim shouted, taken everyone aback. "You may think you are a terrible person but we will always know that it is not true! You were a victim of this messed up cult just like Sooyoung and then Jiwoo! They manipulated you just like those two and just like every other member of this cult! Staying here only solidifies their mental power over you! You are not a bad person in the slightest! You save my friend's life and has been nothing but a sweetheart to everyone she came across, even though you did not know who we are! I will always be grateful for knowing you, no matter how you think you don't deserve it! You are going to come with us whether you like it or not!"

"But, Yerim-"

"You are coming! And if you don't, I will personally drag you out myself!" Yerim took a deep breath to calm down. "Look, I want all my friends to be safe, and that includes you. Just, please?... You don't deserve to suffer. You can come with us and start over with the eleven of us. We're all your friends and we love you..."

Yerim reached out her hand towards Haseul. The frost hybrid stared at it, still hesitant.

"Please?..." Yerim begged. "I don't want you to suffer anymore..."

Haseul stared for a few seconds before finally smiling for the first time in a long while. She held Yerim's hand without second thoughts. Yerim looked at her with the same smile, staring at her proudly. Everyone else stood there, utterly stunned. They were shocked that Yerim could speak so profoundly, enough to even convince Haseul. Out of all the years, even Jungeun had known her, convincing Haseul was a difficult task. Clearly, a lot had changed throughout the time these two were locked up together.

"Now, let's go!" Yerim declared, breaking everyone out of their stupor. Chaewon began to cast the spell again - which was surprisingly easier than previous times - and they headed out of the cell. With all of them holding hands, they sprinted down the tunnel as they tried to leave as quickly as possible. Hyejoo, who was at the front of all of them, finally saw the light at the end and was ready to run through all those hybrids. However, as she reached the exit, Hyejoo stopped in her tracks, making everyone else stop along with her.

"Why did you stop?" Sooyoung asked but quickly stopped talking as she saw what Hyejoo was seeing. 

The room looked eerily different from over fifteen minutes ago. The area was completely dark, apart from the bright white light that was illuminated at the center of the room. There were a lot of events happening at once but they were familiar events - the fire that surrounded the sun's center, the rain that was falling from seemingly nowhere, the flowers peeking through the cracks in the cave walls, and the gust of wind that blew throughout the room. All of these events occurred when they had come across the cave last time, so they knew exactly what was happening. But, additional to those events, there were black thunderclouds with lightning coming out of it and ice that decorated the cave walls alongside the flowers. 

And if that was not already a lot to handle, all of the cult members were standing in several circles around the room, wearing cloaks and holding hands as if they were summoning something. When their eyes wandered back to the sun, they noticed that there were necklaces on the sun's rays - the same necklaces they had seen earlier. All of the necklaces were laid down in all six of the rays, organized by colors. For example, one of the rays - the same one Hyejoo had activated last time - had necklaces that glowed bright red, the same color that Hyejoo's eyes turned. There were six different colors - red, blue, pink, purple, dark grey, and white - which based on context clues, seemed to represent each dragon type. 

All seven of them looked up to the sky as they saw some red light glowing above them. Right above them was a red ball of light slowly peeking through the opening of the cave, looking similar to a...

"Red Sun." Heejin stated. "That's the Red Sun."

"We've heard about it as children all the time..." Jungeun began to say. "But, we always thought they were just stories. We never thought it was real."

"Well, now we know it is." Sooyoung gulped.

The red sun finally was in full view - the red circle lining up with the circle opening of the cave. As soon as it did, the white light became blood red, similar to the sun's color. Soon after, the colorful illumination that came from the necklace began to glow brighter and a beam of light shot out from them, leading towards the blood-red ball in the center. The light was so bright that everyone, including the cult members, had to close their eyes and turn their heads to avoid being blinded. The room began to shake furiously, making it difficult for the group of seven to hold onto each other. However, their efforts were futile as a powerful beam of energy exploded from the center of the room, causing themselves and the cult members to let go of their hands and be thrown to the ground.

Seconds later, Chaewon and everyone else was able to open their eyes again. However, they did not expect what they were about to see.

Shadowy figured came bursting out from the light, coming out in hundreds. When a couple hundred were out of the light and filling up the space - some standing, some flying - the light had finally stopped illuminating, returning the room back to its original state. All of the figures looked like humans, most of them wearing medieval garments. They all had wings and horns, meaning that they were hybrids. They all were also fully covered in a shade of black, causing them to look ghost-like and supernatural. 

For the most part, the group could not recognize any of them. But as two figures stepped forward, Chaewon knew exactly who they were.

"Your majesties." They saw two women, who they knew to be Gahyeon and Han Dong, had greeted while bowing. "It is a pleasure to be graced by your presence."

"The pleasure is all ours." The queen had said politely as she and the king bowed as well. "You are the ones who set us free, correct?"

"Correct." Han Dong had confirmed. "My father had been working tirelessly to set you all free for centuries. But when he and my family were brutally murdered by humans, I and Gahyeon had worked to continue my father's work. There were many setbacks but here we are now."

"I commend you, Gahyeon, and your family for your hard work. It must have been treacherous." The king had complimented before addressing the entire room of people. "Centuries ago, we were unjustifiably murdered by humans and were forced into the Underworld. They had used forbidden spells to trap us down there for ten centuries! But now, myself, my wife, and my fallen subjects are now revived! While we are not at our true power yet, we will still seek revenge on all those who banished us long ago - the humans. They have ruled over our world long enough! Lumenas and hybrids are the destined rulers of our worlds, and are not going to let those repulsive humans take anything more from us! They even took my daughter away from me, which is unforgivable! And now... It is time for our vengeance!"

Every cult member had erupted in cheers, thrilled by what had been declared. 

"Speaking of your daughter," Gahyeon began to say. "I know where she is."

"You do??" The queen exclaimed, starting to cry.

"Tell me where she is!" The king demanded.

"Well, unfortunately, she is no longer in her original form." Gahyeon began. "She was almost killed by hunters years back. However, were soul was combined with a human child and she now manifests inside this girl. Her name is Chaewon and she is not far away." 

"Bring her to me!" The king instructed. "Where is this Chaewon?"

"While her location is not precisely known, I have a pretty good clue where she might be residing." Gahyeon theorized. "She possibly could be in her hybrid friend's house in the aqua hybrid dimension."

"So, they separated all types into dimensions, huh? Those deplorable humans..." The king snapped. "I will send my guards over to their residence. Simply take them there and they will follow."

With the snap of the king's fingers, twenty shadow guards emerged from the crowd of shadowy figures and up to the king and queen.

"They are at your service." The king declared before turning to his guards. "Bring my daughter back! Do not let anyone stand in your way!"

"Yes, your grace." The guards said in unison as they bowed, weapons in hand.

"I will take you there." A woman from earlier with a lab coat said. "I am an aqua hybrid and therefore know the place well."

"In the meantime," Gahyeon began. "Let us pay the humans a visit. Today is their last day where they stand free."

"I agree with you." The king nodded before addressing everyone again. "Let us start with the city of Seoul and branch out to the whole planet of Earth! Our day of retribution is here!"

Another eruption of cheers occurred. With the king and queen leading everyone began to file out of the room through the exit - every cult member and hybrid ghost. Luckily, Chaewon was able to get the invisibility spell working before anyone had noticed and the seven of them waited for everyone to leave the cave. Waiting minutes after they saw the last hybrid leave, they finally relaxed and Chaewon lifted the spell.

"We have to leave immediately." Heejin instructed as she pulled out her phone and began dialing. "Let me call Hyunjin to meet us at the house right now. We have to get there before those ghost guards do."

"Not only that but we need to escape." Sooyoung further stressed. "They are after you, Chaewon. At this point, we are not safe anywhere."

"That's why Chaewon has to be able to teleport to the lumena dimension!" Jungeun stated. "Which I'm not sure she'll be able to do but-"

"I can!" Chaewon announced. "I know I can!"

"How do you know?"

"Because Haeun said she would help me this morning!" Chaewon quickly explained. "It's a long story but she said she will assist me when the time is right so..."

"Then let's go home so you have enough time to do so!" Hyejoo concluded. Heejin made the call to Hyunjin and they prepared themselves to teleport home.

"Wait!" 

Everyone turned their heads to the sound of a little girl shouting. Yuri had run up to them, panting.

"Yuri?.." Haseul had spoken up. "What are you doing here? You should be with your sister."

"I can't go with her!" Yuri protested. "She hurt you and your friends! She wants to hurt good people and I don't like that! Please, let me go with you guys!"

"I don't know if we can..." Heejin sighed. "There's already a lot of us leaving. And if your sister figures out we have you, we're even more dead."

"Please let her come." Haseul tried to reason. "You said I was a victim, correct? Then Yuri is too. Please, we cannot let her stay here. I will take full responsibility for her if it means that she is safe."

All of them turned towards each other, staring for a while before nodding in unison and agreement. It was risky but it was rare for Haseul to be so defensive about something, or someone. So if she was, then clearly it was serious and genuine.

"She's coming with us." Chaewon agreed. "Nobody is getting left behind."

***

"This is boring!" Jiwoo slouched in her seat. "Why won't you let me go find them?"

"Because you are injured and have no fighting skills." Sana explained, giggling at her actions. "Besides, Jinsoul said she would kill me if I let you out of the house. So, I cannot disobey her rules."

Jiwoo continued to pout and slouch on the couch, letting out a frustrated whine. Kahei and Yeojin started at her while chuckling, finding her amusing.

"Aw, it's not that bad, Jiwoo." Kahei tried to reassure. "If you want, we can play a game."

"What kind of game?..."

"How about hide-and-seek?" Yeojin suggested, becoming jovial. "Oh! Or we can play some games on our phones! I've been playing a lot of Animal Crossing these days and I'm sure you'll love it, Jiwoo!"

"I'd rather be fighting alongside everyone else..." Jiwoo crossed her arms and huffed. 

"How about we play some I-spy?" Kahei suggested. "I'll go first."

"Ooo! Okay!" Yeojin agreed.

"Okay, I spy with my little eye something... green." 

Yeojin searched around the entire room, looking for an item with that color.

"Hmm... The pillow?"

"Nope."

"What about that plant over there?" Yeojin pointed to a potted plant in the corner. 

"Nope, getting colder."

"Aww... Hmm..." Yeojin looked around for any more items that were green, closer to then this time. Then it caught her eye.

"The frog chain on my phone case!" Yeojin exclaimed.

"Yep, good job." Kahei confirmed. "Your turn!"

Jiwoo sighed. "Do you guys have to-"

"I spy with my little eye..." Yeojin thought for a moment. "Hmm... something..."

Suddenly, two bright lights entered the room and making all turn away in response. The light went away as quickly as it came, revealing nine familiar people.

"I spy people that look like our friends!" Yeojin joked before her eyes wandered over to a certain person. Her eyes lit up and she grinned brightly.

"Yerim!!" Yeojin jumped up from her seat and onto Yerim, hugging her extremely tight. "You're okay!! I thought I would never see you again!!"

"I was so worried about that too!!" Yerim said, crying again. "But I'm back!"

"Haseul."

Haseul turned away from the precious scene and saw Kahei standing behind her, smiling genuinely.

"Good to see you again." Kahei said before she noticed the bruises on Haseul's arms. "Wait, they didn't hurt you too badly, did they?"

"No, nothing I cannot handle." Haseul reassured. It became awkward after that, both of them not knowing what to do next. 

"You know," Yuri interrupted, causing the two older women to look at her. "My mother used to say that when you haven't seen someone for a long time and you love them, you give them a kiss!"

"U-Uh, Yuri!" Kahei stuttered, cheeks turning red. "Those are couples... Wait, why are you here?" 

"Don't change the subject!" Yuri whined. "Just hug at least!"

Kahei and Haseul stared at each other for a while until Haseul smiled and brought them both in for a hug. This hug seemed less awkward and more confident this time, as they both held it for a long time. Meanwhile, Yuri looked on and began to coo them.

"Uh, hey..." Sooyoung turned to Jiwoo, who was now sitting up and fully paying attention. "Jiwoo."

"Yeah?" Jiwoo bit her lip. "Um... I'm glad to see you are okay!"

"Yeah, I'm okay. What about you? You were injured last time I saw you."

"Yeah, right, um... I'm feeling a little better. Still hurts sometimes but I can walk a bit."

"Cool..." 

This exchange was even more awkward than Kahei and Haseul's - with them avoided eye contact entirely. They did not know what they were anymore, lovers or otherwise, or what they felt towards each other. 

"Jiwoo, I-"

"We have to move fast, guys!" Heejin announced, reminding everyone of the situation. "They could be here any minute!"

"Heejin's right." Hyunjin agreed before turning to Chaewon. "Chaewon, you have to start trying to teleport there. We don't have much time!" 

"Oh, okay!!" Chaewon nodded repeatedly before taking deep breaths. She used it to calm herself down, trying to concentrate on the task at hand. She also tried to communicate with Haeun, asking for her guidance in this dire situation. Chaewon tried her hardest to focus and to visualize where she was going but it proved harder than she thought. No matter how much she tried, Chaewon could not feel anything.

Just as she was still trying, all of them heard a loud band on the door. It made them all jump, including Chaewon who was broken out of her concentration. 

"They're here!" Jungeun announced. "What do you do??"

Sana stared at the door, becoming nervous. "I..."

"Listen up!" The person behind the door shouted. "We are looking for the human named Chaewon. If you do not surrender and bring her to us within the next minute, we will break into this house and will have to use force."

Everyone began to panic. Chaewon tried desperately to use her teleportation but the fear she felt made it impossible for her to focus. Sana seemed to realize as began to frown at her. She looked around at the frightened faces and realized what she had to do.

"Go upstairs." 

"What?" Jinsoul questioned. 

"Go upstairs, now!" Sana demanded. "I will fight them off and give you some time! Lock yourselves in a bedroom and allow Chaewon to concentrate! I am not repeating this - go!!"

They quickly followed Sana's orders and ran up the stairs, not looking back. Haseul picked up Yuri in her arms as they moved upstairs since the child could not run as fast. Chaewon, when stopping to pick up her two pets, looked towards her mother and father. They had stood up but instead of moving was standing beside Sana.

"Mom! Dad!" Chaewon called out. "What are you doing?! Come on!" 

"No, honey." Chaewon's mother said. "We are staying here to help out." 

"But you guys can't fight!" 

"We may not be as good as in our younger days," Chaewon's father began. "But, we still remember a thing or two. You have to go, now! Don't worry about us! We will be fine!"

"But-"

"Come on, Chaewon!" Hyejoo pulled her girlfriend by the arm and up the stairs. As Chaewon reached the top step, she could hear repeated banging on the door - an indication that the guards were trying to get in. They both ran into the bedroom where the others were, locking the door behind them.

"Okay, Chaewon, try again." Jinsoul advised. "Just concentrate. We believe that you can do it!"

"Exactly," Hyejoo held Chaewon's hand, smiling and looking at her encouragingly. "I know you can do it."

Chaewon's eyes wandered from Hyejoo to everyone else in the room. She saw all the encouragement and support in their faces, all the smiles they possessed, and instantly felt more confident. She closed her eyes and tried again, breathing steadily to keep herself from panicking. Instead of trying to visualize a place she had never been, Chaewon focused on the one person who could assist her. She had never called Haeun other than when she was sleeping and it was always at random, but she tried to focus.

Eventually, all the noises in the house were blocked from her ears as she felt herself slipping away. When began to feel the ground beneath her disintegrate, held hands with Hyejoo and Jinsoul, who were on either side of her. That caused everyone else in the room to hold hands as Chaewon began to teleport. When they all saw a golden light engulfing then all, they closed their eyes. 

Eventually, that familiar wind came rushing past her and Chaewon knew that she was almost there and just had to try harder. She ignored the knocking on the door, just concentrating on where she was meant to be.

***

Chaewon felt a gust of wind blowing up from beneath her and opened her eyes. Her surroundings were completely black as she was falling through the empty space. Chaewon thought initially that she had failed to make it once again and that she was bound to go back to the bedroom.

But then a miracle happened: 

"Chaewon."

Chaewon looked upwards to see Haeun falling in front of her. Haeun did not look frightened at all, instead she looked proud. She reached out her hand towards Chaewon, smiling sweetly.

"You've done well." Haeun stated. "Hold my hand."

Chaewon followed her instructions and reached out her hand, holding her hand. Immediately after she held it, Chaewon felt herself relax and become less afraid. She felt at ease as they continue to fall - however, instead of falling into a black space, the surroundings began to glow bright white. It would have been bright enough to blind her, but Chaewon kept her eyes fixed on Haeun's. Haeun floated closer to Chaewon and put her free hand over the blonde's eyes as she whispered:

"We will meet again soon..."

Then Chaewon became unconscious.

***

Chaewon groaned as she felt her head begin to throb. As she opened her eyes, she saw all of her friends sleeping on the ground around her. Chaewon's vision was still partially blurry, but she could tell that they were no longer in the bedroom. Even through her hazy vision, she could see a golden throne in the distance. While staring, someone started to come into view. It was a woman with long hair and a golden dress, walking up to her slowly. When she reached Chaewon, she crouched down in front of her and placed a warm hand on her cheek.

"Welcome home, princess..." The woman whispered as she grinned softly. 

"Where am I?..."

"Welcome to Amos" The woman greeted as her eyes turned gold. "The place where you belong..."

\---- TO BE CONTINUED ----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was Chapter 28! This was my hardest chapter yet! But, it also the final chapter of Part 1, which is exciting! Originally I was planning for something more eventful but I think I should save all of the action for Part 2. Besides, you all got over 12k words so I think that's enough! I hope you all enjoyed Part 1 and I can't wait for you all to see Part 2! Every question you may have will be answered there, as well as new concepts that will expand both the world, lore, and our main characters! OT12 will get a lot of individual focus next book, don't worry!
> 
> Like I said in the beginning, please check out the next "chapter" for a sneak peek of Part 2 and more information on what will up to and during its release!
> 
> I'll see you all soon! Love you! XOX


	29. SNEAK PEEK + ONE-SHOT INFO

Chaewon ran across the open valley. The wind blew through her hair as her speed increased, causing the smell of lavender to fill her nose. Running barefoot, the grass and flower beds continually scratched her feet - but Chaewon did not mind. All she knew was that she had to keep running, a wide smile growing on her face and eyes crinkling. Chaewon had not felt this free in a long time as the weight was truly off her shoulders.

Chaewon looked to see if she was still traveling in the right direction. She continued to grin as she saw a pastel green butterfly flapping its wings in front of her, guiding her path. Chaewon followed it with no worry - knowing that it will take her where she was destined to go.

Finally, the butterfly stopped moving as it reached the top of the hill, with Chaewon pausing alongside it. The blonde gasped as she saw where she would be going next, knowing that it was the source of their next adventure.

Seconds later, eleven additional butterflies appeared by her side, all of them with a signature color. Then she heard their voices:

"Chaewon, wait up!!"

"Why is this hill so tall?!"

"Don't leave us behind!!"

Chaewon giggled to herself.

This was what she was meant to do.

\--- TO BE CONTINUED IN: 

𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝒀 𝑴𝑬: 𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑵 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑬𝒀𝑬𝑺 ----

PART 2 will be coming out in the first week of September! 

But, don't worry!!

I will be releasing 3 one-shots between now and the first chapter of PART 2!

What will the 3 one-shots be about? You all decide!

In the comments, tell me three one-shot storylines you would like to see me write!

Remember:  
• it must be based on the "STAND BY ME" plotline.  
• it cannot break away from the "STAND BY ME" canon (ex. cannot be a ship that is not canon up until the end of this story, other idol inserts, etc.)  
• can only involve OT12 as the main characters! It does not have to be all of them, but it must include ONLY them as main characters. But, side characters can play a small role!  
• no smut!   
• if you want me to expand on an event in the story (ex. the play, the holiday house, any prequel events, or cannon relationships) you can! 

The most requested/my favorite concepts will be chosen!

The first one-shot will be out in less than two weeks!

See you all soon!

**Author's Note:**

> And that was chapter one! I hope you all liked it! Honestly, this chapter was fun to write! So several notes:
> 
> 1\. Hyejoo, Jinsoul, Jungeun, and Heejin are pretty much the main group who will be going on "missions". Most major conflicts will involve at least one of these four trying to solve it. Hyunjin will mostly be brains of the group, and will mostly do research and be behind the scenes. Everyone other main character, which are the members of LOONA, will be involved at least once in these conflicts.  
> 2\. Hyejoo and Chaewon's relationship will be a little fast paced, but it's for a reason. ;)  
> 3\. Everyone will have their own arc, which each getting their own moment in due time. Even though Hyejoo and Chaewon are the two focused on the most, everyone will get their time to shine.  
> Finally, tell me what you think in the comments! I want to know your thoughts! 
> 
> Updates will be every Wednesday and Sunday! See you soon, lovelies!


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